A Single Decision
by Typhoon73
Summary: Jane and her team catch a case that involves several cop killings and a serial rapist. One night, Jane makes a decision that will change everybody's lives immensely. No major character is going to die. But things will change.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, guys. I have a new story. I hope you'll like it. I got this idea after I watched a video on YouTube with Jane and Maura, and it won't leave my mind. It's a sad one. But I will write it with flashbacks. However, enjoy it.**

**T73**.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Prologue_.

Maura Isles is coming home earlier this evening than usual. Home. She doesn't call this house her home anymore. It's a soulless building, an accommodation, something necessary.  
Nothing is like it was a few months ago. She knows, Angela Rizzoli knows, Tommy and Frankie Rizzoli know, and her colleagues the Boston Police Department know. Even the entire city knows.  
But knowing it and accepting it are two different pair of shoes.  
She will never accept it. She can't.  
Since that day everyone's lives had changed drastically. A single decision changed everything. Changed her and her whole life.  
Maura feels an deep emptiness in her heart, an emptiness that won't be filled again.  
_I wish I would never have_ _met you._ Her words echoes through her head over and over again. If she could turn back time, she would never have said those words. She rather would have said _I love you, please stay with me. I need you, I don't want to lose you. Let's end this childish fight._

She places her purse on the desk at the back of her couch and walks over to the kitchen island. She takes an wine glass out of a cupboard and freezes. The untouched bottles of beer in the refrigerator are staring back at her through the glass door. Suddenly, she feels sick and is feeling the burning tears in her eyes.  
She would do anything for a second chance, foe a touch, a kiss, one last night, one last look.  
"Maura?"  
She gasps and swirls around, almost dropping the glass to the floor.  
Angela Rizzoli stands in the door and glances at her with an sad expression. It's as sad as Maura's. As heartbroken as hers.  
A tear escapes Maura's eye.  
The older woman immediately rushes to her house, but she takes a step back, shaking her head.  
She don't want to be hugged, she don't want to be comforted. She thinks she doesn't deserve it.  
"You are not alone," Angela says softly .  
Maura nods her head and her tears start to flow freely, ""Yes. Yes, I am."


	2. Chapter 2

**First of all , wow, thank you very much. I didn't think that alone the prologue raises so many possitive reactions. You've really blew me away. Thank you, thank you, thank you. When I write the flashbacks I'll change the font in italic. I hope you enjoy the update.**

**T73****.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane Rizzoli is a young, go-getting Detective of the Boston Homicide. She is a hot-blooded woman with Italian roots and success-oriented. A 'It's not possible' doesn't exist in her vocabulary._  
_Moreover, she's good looking. Her deep brown eyes match her raven black hair. Men and women find her attractive, and on both sides she gets sufficient offers. She likes it, though. But that doesn't mean that she sleeps with everyone who crosses her way. Quite the contrary. She has_ shift _her attention to a special person. A woman._  
_She has no problem with being openly gay nor has her family and friends._  
_But she does know that those feelings she's having are completely wrong and that they will not be reciprocated._  
_Unfortunately, she has fallen in love with her best friend Dr. Maura Isles. The Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who is totally straight._  
_This makes it even harder for the young Italian._  
_It's not surprising that even she felt in love with Maura. She is quite attractive. Even Jane's brothers Frankie and Tommy have tried their luck with Maura. And have failed miserably._

_Why should she have more luck than judgment?_  
_She groans and enters the bullpen._  
_Her partner's head snaps up and he furls his eyebrows, "What crawled up your ass and died?"_  
_She puts off her black jacket and hangs it over the back of her chair, "The same old story."_  
_Detective Barry Frost wrinkles his nose, "Seriously? When will you tell Maura how you feel about her?"_  
_She sighs and sits down on her office chair, "The day when the world stops turning."_  
_"Jane, you have to tell her. Since the day you've realized that you are in love with her, you're a grouch. You even don't smile anymore."_  
_Jane forces herself to smile, but it looks more like an grimace. "I do smile," she says through her clenched teeth. "See?"_  
_Frost looks scared away._  
_Her former partner Vince Korsak comes into the bullpen and turns on his heels when he sees her face, "Christ." he mumbles._  
_Jane's shoulders slump, "Really, Brutus?"_  
_Korsak walks over to his own desk, "The same old story?"_  
_"What else?" Frost asks back and rolls his eyes. "I think Jane needs a jump-start."_  
_"I think I need partners who mind their own business."_  
_"She loves you, Jane." Korsak replies as he sits down at his desk._  
_Jane rolls her eyes. "Yeah, like her sister."_  
_The two men exchanges gazes._  
_Jane furls her eyebrows, "What?"_  
_Korsak scratches his chin with the back of his fingers._  
_"Well ... uh ..." Frost begins carefully. "The way Maura looks at you everytime ... She certain doesn't see you only as a sister."_  
_Jane snorts annoyed. "Yeah, sure."_  
_"She looks at you like you're a piece of meat," Korsak adds._  
_She opens her mouth to reply something when she hears a familiar clicking of heels on the floor. She turns her head to the source of the sound and her breath hitches._  
_Maura walks into the squad room. She's wearing a form-fitting light blue dress and cream-colored high heels. Her hair is put in a ponytail._  
_Jane blushes a little as she let her eyes roam over her best friend's body._  
_Maura smiles at her, "I thought we would have breakfast together, Jane."_  
_Jane's eyebrows shoots up, "Uh ... well ... I had nothing to change at your place." _Liar_ screams the voice inside her head._  
_Maura places an brown paper bag on Jane's desk, "For you."_  
_Jane takes a look in the bag and grins as the smell of bacon and scrambled eggs hits her nose, "Thanks." she says and smiles up at Maura, her dimples pop out._  
_Frost glances at Korsak and the older man shrugs his shoulders. "Uh ... Dr. Isles, do you have any plans for tonight?"_  
_Maura smiles politely at him, "No, Detective Frost. I do not have any plans for tonight."_  
_Jane glares at him, shaking decently her head._  
_He ignores her, "I asked myself if you would be interested to have dinner with Jane at a restaurant, I've made an reservation at. Michelle had to cancel this morning."_  
_Michelle is his new girlfriend who works as a nurse at the Mass Gen._  
_Maura's smile grows bigger and she places an hand on Jane's shoulder. "That sounds lovely."_  
_Frost grins proudly._  
_Jane glares at him. "No. Maura it's probably an romantic restaurant."_  
_"It doesn't matter to me, Jane."_  
_"Yes, Jane." Frost says agreeing. "It doesn't matter."_  
_Jane wants to tear off his head but keeps sitting on her chair and she buries her face_ _in her hands._  
_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Jane is sitting behind the steering wheel of her Dodge and stares at the front door of her best friend's house. She tries to tell herself that this is just a dinner with her friend ... with whom she is in love with._  
_Her hands are getting sweaty and she sighs heavily. She knows this said restaurant Frost has made his reservation. It's small, and sweet and for couples on their first date. She was there before, a couple of times. She exhaled shakily through her mouth and gets out of the car. She's wearing her best pantsuit and a dress shirt._  
_Jane wipes her hands in her trouser and walks up to the door._  
_She hesitates and uses the doorbell. She knows that it is foolish because she normally just walks in._  
_The door opens and the sight in front of her takes Jane's breath away._  
_Maura stands in a dark grey dress in front of her and looks like she is going on a real date._  
_"Hey," Jane husks. She wants to connect her lips with Maura's immediately._  
_Maura smiles mischievously at her, "I asked myself if you want to sit the whole evening in your car."_  
_Jane blushes in the deepest shade of red that her skin allows._  
_Maura still smiles, takes her dark purse and switches off the lights. "Let's go." she says._  
_Jane takes a deep breath and places her hand on Maura's small of the back. It's a firm hold to show all the other men in the world that this ... woman is with her tonight._  
_She opens the passenger's door and holds it open._  
_Maura steps into her personal space and kisses her cheek softly. "Thank you." she whispers against warm skin._  
_Jane's eyes flutters shut and she has to fight against the urge to turn her head so their lips can meet._  
_Maura still smiles and sits down on her seat._  
_Jane closes the door and exhales shakily through her mouth._  
_This evening will cost much more strength then she has thought._  
_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_They sit at a table for two and study their menus._  
_Maura puts hers down on the table and licks her lips, "This isn't just a dinner between two friends, is it?"_  
_Jane wants to die right there and right now. "I'm so sorry, Maura. Frost is an idiot."_  
_"When did you know that?"_  
_Jane's confusion is mirrored in her face and she furrows her eyebrows. What the hell? "That he's an idiot? From the very beginning."_  
_Maura stays serious and it's scaring the Italian, "That you are in love with me. When did you knew it, Jane?"_  
_Jane's heart skips a beat and she feels a lump forming in her throat. "I ..." she swallows hard and frowns. "I don't know, Maura. I ... I really don't know. I think I feel in love with you the moment I saw you for the first time."_  
_Maura is silent and looks down at her lap._  
_Jane feels panic raising in her veins and asks herself why she just can't shut up. She knows herself that the truth can hurt like a sharp knife. And she also knows that her confession of love can jeopardize her friendship with Maura. She once promised herself that she rather swallow her own tongue than to tell Maura how she truly feels about her. And know it's out, it's said and she feels like a fool._  
_Maura's whole body starts shaking._  
_"Maura," the Italian says worriedly._  
_Maura bursts out laughing, and looks at the confused brunette. "Remind me to buy Frost a 'Thank you' basket."_  
_Jane believes that her best friend has lost her mind and her frown deepens, "What?" she asks with an high-pitched voice._  
_Maura takes Jane's hand in her own and smiles reassuringly at her, "I am in love with you too, Jane. That's why I sent your brothers packing."_  
_Jane stares at her like she has three heads and a maniac monkey on her shoulder, "What?" she asks once more._  
_Maura chuckles and kisses the hand of Jane._  
_Jane wants to pinch herself to make sure that she is not dreaming. "You've kept yourself for me?"_  
_Maura lifts the glass of water to her lips and starts laughing. "I wouldn't say that I 'kept' myself."_  
_"Hush," Jane replies and hides her broad grin behind her menu._  
_She doesn't fool Maura. She grins broadly and doesn't let go of Jane's hand._  
_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

_Jane walks Maura to her front door and stuffs her hands into the pockets of her trouser. Suddenly, she feels like a teenager again, "So." she says, avoiding the smaller woman's eyes._  
_Maura steps into her personal space again. "It's okay, Jane." she says. "It's okay to kiss goodnight."_  
_Jane sighs in relief. Maura does not want her to do more for now. She just wants a kiss, a peck on the lips. Jane gathers all her courage and kisses Maura for the very first time. But it's not just a peck. It's sweet and gentle, and everything Jane ever wanted. She sighs relieved and pulls Maura at her hips closer._  
_Maura is surprised and pulls away when Jane wants to deepen the kiss. She places her hands on Jane's collarbone and smiles, "Easy, tiger." she breathes._  
_Jane smiles wickedly. She didn't know that she has such affect on the blonde_.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura's eyes snap open and she finds herself in her bedroom and is surrounded by darkness. It feels like the darkness in the room matches the one in her heart.  
She still can feel her present. The warmth next to her.  
Maybe ... maybe lies there, sleeping ... safe and sound.  
Maybe she is snoring and drooling like she did in the past.  
_Maybe she is still with me tomorrow_, is Maura thinking, but she knows that it's not true. She knows that it's only wishful thinking.

When she closes her eyes firmly, she still can feel Jane's breath on her neck when Jane is spooning her.  
She still feels those strong arms wrapping around her middle, trying to keep her safe.  
If she would turn around, she believes that she could see those warm brown eyes again, see this smile that's only meant for her.  
She turns on her left side and gets greeted by ... darkness.  
No brown eyes, no warm smile.  
Just darkness, like the one that fills her heart. Swallows her completely.  
She reaches out but the sheet is cold. She clings to it and a sob escapes her throat, "Jane." she says and cries herself back to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, I have new update for you. I hope you like it. And thank you very much for reading and following.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Vince Korsak sits on the old couch that stands in his living room. It's late at night but he can not sleep. His eyes are puffy.  
He has never thought that he would go through something like this ever again. He has experienced a lot in all this years on earth. He has gone through many good and bad things.  
Pain is not new yo him. He felt it many times, physically and mentally.  
He looks at the whisky glass in his hand and the half- empty whisky bottle. He know that he will regret this the next morning. But he sees it as his only chance to forget those pictures he sees everytime when he closes his eyes. Those pictures, which are burned in his memory.  
He runs his hand over his forehead and downs the last bit of liquid in his glass. He welcomes the burning feeling in his throat, but it doesn't sooth the pain in his heart.  
On the contrary, the alcohol strengthens this pain.  
He closes his eyes and sees the progress of events again in slow motion.  
Korsak opens his eyes again and a tear runs down his cheek. He's happy that he's alone in his house. He isn't that kind of man who shows his emotional state openly. It's enough for him to see his friends broken, he holds himself together.  
His eyes wander to an bookshelf and stop at a framed photo.  
Its shows Frost, Jane, Maura and him smiling at the camera.  
It was a clear and sunny day when the photo was taken.  
It was a few days before they had catched the case.  
Then, they were carefree and laughing. Having a beer together. Not knowing what was waiting for then. Not knowing that their lives would change drastically.  
He sighs and refills his glass again. He needs to feel numb. Even when it means that he will have an awful hangover. He takes a big sip and sighs once again.  
He wishes that he could turn back time and change places with her. But he can't and he will have to live with that. It's clear to him that he did everything to keep Jane safe, tried to keep her away from that damn plan, to change her mind. Everything in vain.  
He downs his drink and throws the empty glass against the nearest wall. It shatters into a thousand pieces and the last drops of whisky run down the wall.  
He was supposed to keep her safe. That's what he is telling himself over and over again.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Frankie Rizzoli is supposed to be at his apartment and get some sleep. Instead he is swinging at a heavy bag in the BPD gym.  
Sweat is tripping from his face and his gloved hands are sore. His muscles in his arms are burning merciless but he can't stop now. His sister's face invades his mind, her voice pierces his ears. His silly big sister. The reason why he became a cop, too.  
He growls and hit the bag harder.  
They had spent a lot of time together in this gym. Especially during a hard case.  
He still remembers the day of the shoot-out at the BPD. That she shot herself to safe his life.  
Okay, on that particular part he doesn't remember anymore.  
He leans his forehead against the heavy bag and hammers his fists against it, "Damn it." he growls.  
"Frankie?"  
He stops and swirls around, breathing heavily. He blinks a few times. "What are you doing here?"  
"I could ask you the same."  
He opens the Velcro of his boxing glove with his teeth, "I can't be at my apartment right now."  
"Me neither," Frost says and drops his sports bag to the floor. "And I'm not in the mood to work out."  
"Do you think she made the right decision," Frankie asks.  
Frost sits down on a bench and sighs heavily, "You know how Jane can be. Once she made a decision, you can't keep her from doing so."  
Frankie drops his gloves to the floor, "That doesn't answer my question, Frost."  
Frost sighs again and places his elbows on his knees, "She was trying to keep Maura and the hostage safe."  
"What about her own safety? Did she thought about that, too? No, of course not. She didn't think at all."  
Frost frowns deeply. "Did you know that I was in love with your sister?"  
Frankie snorts and takes a bottle of water from his bag. "In Jane? Didn't you know that she's gay?"  
Frost smiles and shakes his head, "Not until she showed up with that hot chic at the Dirty Robber. This girl before Maura."  
"You mean Kim?"  
"Yeah."  
"Yeah, she was hot."  
"Well," Frost chuckles. "it seemed like everyone seemed to know that she's into women ... **but me.** I felt like a fool on that evening. Especially as they started to make out."

Frankie chuckles and punches Frost's shoulder, "Even the officer at the reception knows that she is into women."  
Frost shrugs his shoulders. "I didn't know. Did you know that you would have a sister-in-law already a month after Jane and Maura started dating?"  
"Hey, they were dating for years. They just didn't know it themselves."  
"True."  
"So, no. I wasn't surprised at all."  
Frost smiles a little and nods his head. But then he turns serious again. "What do you think? How does Maura feel?"  
Frankie runs a hand over his sweaty forehead, "I don't even want to know."  
Frost glances long at him, "Are you blaming her?"  
"**No**!" Frankie says louder and points at the floor. "No. The only one I blame is ... **Jane.** I blame her for doing this to the woman who loves her more than her own life. I blame Jane for doing this to our mother, who is as heartbroken as Maura. I blame Jane for doing this to our father. I blame her for doing this to all of us."

"Frankie, she thought she would doing the right thing."  
Frankie huffs, "She thought absolutely nothing."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Maura lies on the couch covered by a woolen blanket. Her left arm is placed under her head as she's staring at the muted TV.  
She is watching a recording of the last barbecue they had as a family.  
She doesn't need a sound to the recording. All she needs is to see Jane's face, to see the glow in her eyes.  
In the video, Jane runs up to her and knocks Maura almost off of her feet. But she catches her right in time.  
Maura doesn't know who has filmed them on that day but the person kept them in focus and zoomed up.  
Jane is grinning at her like a Cheshire Cat before her lips says _I love you_.

Maura smiles at her and wraps her arms around her neck, saying it back.  
Jane sways them back and forth and kisses Maura's lips gently. She pulls away and says something.  
Maura bursts out laughing. A real laugh, one of her last ones.  
Jane walks straight toward the cameraman, pointing at him, threatening him with a smile.  
It has to be Frankie or Tommy.  
Jane pulls the camera down and attacks the poor cameraman.  
Maura gasps as she sees that Frost's face appears on the TV screen.  
He's laughing as Jane playfully hits him. A real laugh. One of his last ones.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Maura naked body is trembling in anticipation. She can feel Jane's breath on her naked skin. She arches her back when Jane's lips capture her erected left nipple. She buries her hand in the black curls, moaning softly._  
_It's their first time together, but it feels like the first time at all._  
_Maura squirms with every gentle nip and suck and rolls her hips._  
_Jane is taking her time, enjoying it as much as the blonde underneath her. "You're beautiful." she breathes before she pays the same attention to the right nipple as she has paid to the other._  
_Maura moans deeply. Never has anyone of her previous lovers worships her like Jane does. She bends her right leg and a shiver runs through her body as she feels hand slide over her leg, squeezing it slightly. "Oh," she whispers. The pace is slow and painful and sweet. "Oh ... Jane."_  
_Jane pulls away from the nipple and runs a hand over Maura's toned belly, up to her well-formed breast. She kisses Maura gently on her lips as her hand runs down on Maura's side._  
_Maura kisses her back, moaning as she feels fingertips on the inside of her thigh. She arches her back as she feels a thumb on her swollen clit, she bits back an loud moan. She doesn't want to startle Jane._  
_"It's okay, Maura." Jane husks into her ear. "It's okay to let go."_  
_And Maura does, she let go. And a wave of pure pleasure washes over her. And her body goes stiff when she feels Jane's skin on hers._  
_Jane kisses her along the jawline as her hand wanders further down. She sighs in Maura's ear when she feels her wetness._  
_No words are needed. Just a glance is enough, one that is full of wonder and of love._  
_Maura presses her head into the pillow as fingers enter her. Never has she felt so filled, so complete. She bites her lower lip as Jane slides her fingers out of her again, curling them slightly._  
_Jane kisses her. Gently, not to rough. But it's still a kiss that leaves no room for questions. This night is sweeter than she had imagined it. She slides her fingers back into Maura and moan as her warm, velvet walls pull her in deep. She bites into the delicious pale skin as Maura digs her nails into her shoulders._  
_Maura's eyes flutter shut as Jane buries her face in her nape, her hips are rolling with every thrust. She feels her orgasm coming over her and the next one that is already waiting in the line. She moans deeply, "Don't stop, Jane." she as she went rigid._  
_Jane growls low and does as she is pleases. She doesn't stop her hand. She watches the smaller women. "Maura ..." she breathes._  
_Maura opens her mouth widely and arches her back as she comes undone. The most powerful orgasm crashes over her and she only sees white stars and Jane._  
_Jane follows her immediately without any physical doings. She moans from the depth of her soul before she collapses on top of the woman she loves. She runs an hand over Maura's side and links it with Maura's. "That was amazing."_  
_Maura kisses Jane's shoulder gently. "Yes, it really was. I love you, Jane."_  
_Jane doesn't make a move to roll off Maura. Instead, she nestle her in the blonde's neck. "I love you too." she murmur. "Sleep tight."_  
_Maura smiles broadly and caresses the Italian's_ _bare back, "Good night, Jane."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura jolts up as she feels a hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently. She is still aroused but there is no Jane and she is not naked. And she is not in their bedroom. Instead, she's looking into a saddened face of her mother-in-law.  
The living room is already dark, only the colors of the TV lightens it. She must have fallen asleep on the couch.  
Jane is running over the big screen as Maura looks at it.  
She closes her eyes and a tear runs down her cheek as she realizes that she only dreamt of the sexual encounter.  
Angela doesn't say anything, she doesn't want to embarrass Maura even more than she already is. She doesn't say that she saw that Maura was moving her hips and that she was moaning her daughter's name. She only kisses the top of Maura's head and closes her own eyes. "It's okay, honey. It was a memory."  
Maura stifle a sob and shakes her head. She still can feel Jane's touch on her skin and smell Jane's scent around her and feel her lips on her own.  
Angela sighs heavily, "I know, sweetie. I know."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, thanks for all your shared opinion and for following. I appreciate it very much. So I have a next update and of course your welcome to tell me what you think. Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane enters the break room and closes the door loudly. "The man I wanted to see."_  
_Frost chokes on his sandwich and coughs roughly._  
_She slaps his back and sits across of him. "You alright? I don't want you to die here."_  
_"You scared the shit out of me," he croaks._  
_She grins broadly, "Sorry, wasn't my intention. I have a question for you."_  
_"I'm not interested in a threesome with you and Maura." he replies and turns up his nose._  
_Jane stares at him and frowns confused. Then she takes an little black velvet box from her jacket pocket and opens it, "Shut up and listen. I want to propose to Maura."_  
_His eyes grow wide, "Holy ... That's an big stone. Is that a diamond?"_  
_She shakes her head. "No, a white sapphire with an emerald cut."_  
_"If she don't want to marry you ... I do."_  
_She chuckles. "If she says yes, will you be my best man?"_  
_He frowns deeply, "What about your mentor?"_  
_"I have other plans with Korsak."_  
_Frost grins broadly, "Can we attend your proposal?"_  
_Jane rolls her eyes, "If you have to."_  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Korsak enters the bullpen and stops as he sees Frost smiling. "What are you smiling at?"  
Frost blinks a few times and stares at Jane's empty desk. "Nothing." he whispers. "Nothing important."  
Korsak smiles weakly, "I miss her, too.  
Frost points at his own eyes, "I can see that."  
Korsak waves the statement with an hand off, "What was your memory?"  
Frost smiles broadly, "Her proposal."  
Korsak's scoffs amused and shakes his head."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane leads careful the blindfolded Maura down the stairs that lead to the beach._  
_The ocean isn't her favorite element but its a nice place to make a proposal._  
_She has placed some candles in a heart-formation on the sandy ground which burn bright in the dark of the night. She undoes the blindfold and runs her hands over her arms, "You can open your pretty eyes."_  
_Maura does exactly that and her breath hitches as she sees the arrangement, "Oh my ... Jane." she breathes._  
_Jane smiles broadly and walks around Maura. She takes Maura's left hand in her own hands and knees down in the sand, kissing gently the blonde's one. "Maura, I've never met a woman who touched me like you do. Our lives have crossed in one of the worst moment in our lives, but then we created our own world, something that only we have. I've learned that I can't adhere to happiness. Once, I was down of my luck, but it returned to me again, with you." she pauses and licks her lips. "When I found you, I found my luck. Your laugh ..." she furrows her_ eyebrows. _"Your laugh is a colorful world to me and sometimes it happens that I want to rest my soul on you. In my mind ... In my mind, we merge into free bird, which can be infinitely close to the sky, wind and sun, and day and night. With you in it, my life rich, and I want to give you love and warmth." she intertwine her hand with Maura's and a tear runs down the blonde's cheek. "Your hand fits perfectly in mine, so is your body and soul." she chuckles and raises her eyebrows. "We are a match. We are made for each other._ _Maura, will you do me the honor and become my wife?"_  
_Maura makes an uncoordinated movement with her head while she's crying thick tears._  
_Jane furrows her eyebrows, "No?"_  
_Maura shakes her head._  
_"So, yes."_  
_Maura shakes her head again._  
_Jane furls her eyebrows. "I'm a little lost here, Maura. Do you wanna marry me or don't you wanna marry me?"_  
_Maura closes her eyes briefly and takes a deep breath. "Yes. Yes, I wanna marry you."_  
_Jane smiles relieved and slips the engagement ring on Maura's left ring finger._  
_"Welcome to the family." Angela squeals happily as she comes from out of nowhere._  
_Jane and Maura jumps in the same time._  
_"Gosh," Jane growls. "Ma, couldn't wait you for a second longer?"_  
_Angela grins like a Cheshire Cat. "Finally you're getting married. Where's the kiss?"_  
_"That's a good question." Frankie says as he comes with Frost and Korsak out of nowhere, too._  
_Jane rolls her eyes and takes Maura at her hips. She pulls the smaller woman closer and kisses her gently on the lips._  
_The three witnesses cheers and applause._  
_Maura smiles and sighs as she wraps her arms around the Italian's neck._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura enters the lab and smiles a little as Frost follows her hot on her heels.  
"Hey, Doc." he greets her. "I'm here for the ..."  
She looks up as he trails off. "DNA results of the Hensley case?"  
He clears his throat, "Yeah."  
She takes a file in her hand and gives it to him, "The DNA sample matches with Ryan Flynn's."  
Frost opens the file and exhales through his mouth, "So, he also killed Joe Hensley."  
Maura nods her head agreeing.  
"I would like to know how Mrs. Flynn wants to explain this."  
Maura stares ahead and tugs on her bottom lip.  
Frost watches her and frowns, "Dr. Isles, you okay?"  
Maura blinks a few times and glances at him, "Hm?" she realizes what he has said and nods her head again as she walks around the counter. "Oh, yes. Yes, I'm okay. Do you think that his wife was involved?"  
He sighs and raises briefly, "It's hard to imagine that Ryan Flynn has planned all these murders alone. We have to assume that Vera Flynn was involved."  
She looks long at him and furrows her eyebrows. Her pain is mirrored in her face, "How can ... how can two people do something like this? Kill all these innocent people just because they have done their job?"  
He shakes his head. He has asked himself the same question over and over again. "They wanted blood vengeance for their son. They thought that Kevin was innocent."  
Anger boils up in Maura's veins, "It has been proven forensically that Kevin Flynn has raped these three women." she says louder and some heads turn to her.  
Frost presses his lips to a thin line to.  
Maura is startled by her own outburst and opens her mouth, "I'm ... I'm sorry. I shouldn't be working on this case. I'm personally involved. I will call Dr. Pike."  
"Jane won't ..." he says and she freezes. He swallows hard. "You're not prejudiced, Dr. Isles. You can't give up this case."  
She licks her lips and looks around in the lab. She swallows hard, too. "Please, follow me."  
Frost furls his eyebrows and follows her into her office, "Shall I ... close the door?"  
She nods her head and places an hand on her desk, "Yes, please."  
He nods and closes the said office door.  
She takes a deep breath and licks her lips, "I can't expose myself to this stress, Detective Frost."  
He glances confused at her, "What does that suppose to mean?"  
Maura hesitates for a second. "Promise me that you won't tell anyone. Especially not Angela."  
"What? Are you pregnant?" he asks and laughs but when she doesn't join him he turns serious again. His eyes drop to her stomach. "Are you?" he feels anger raising in his veins. "Had Jane and you argued about that? Did you cheated on her and got pregnant? Jesus, and we had sympathy for you?"  
Maura has tears in her eyes and shakes her head. "It's not like that. Really, it isn't. Jane knows it. Well ... she knows that I am pregnant ... I mean ... I haven't cheated on her. We have decided that we are ready to start our own family. I haven't slept with a guy since I was dating Jane."  
He looks skeptically at her and let the words sink in. He starts to understand what she has said and points at her stomach, "The child is Jane's?"  
Maura closes her eyes to hide upcoming her tears and nods her head in the same time as she places her hand on her belly.  
"When?" Frost whispers.  
She wipes a single tear from her cheek. "I found out that the artificial insemination worked just before you have started to investigate the case."  
He frowns deeply, "And Jane knew it?"  
She nods slowly her head, "Yes, I told her before ... That's one of the reasons why we fought."  
He places his hands on his hips and closes his eyes, "Damn it, Jane. Damn it. What the heck were you thinking?"  
"Detective Frost," Maura says and takes another deep breath, "please keep that little detail for yourself. For now."  
He nods agreeing. "Of course. I won't say a word." he licks his lips. "Unbelievable. You'll get a little Jane."  
"I don't know the gender yet." she replies.  
He waves the statement with an hand off. "Doesn't matter."  
A smile tugs on the corners of her lips. He's right, it doesn't matter what gender the baby will be. It's a little bit of her wife anyway. A tiny little piece of Jane is growing inside of her. Suddenly her heart contracts painfully and she swallows back a sob. She turns away from Frost. "Would you please excuse me?"  
He sighs heavily, "Sure." he places his hand on the doorknob and looks back at her, "Maura, if you somehow need help ... we're all here for you. No matter if it's with the baby or setting up the nursery. Or on other ways. We are here for you."  
Maura looks at him and smiles a little. "I know. Thank you."  
Frost nods his head once and leaves her office.  
She exhales slowly through her mouth and sits down on her desk chair.  
She runs an hand over her stomach and frowns, "I love you." she whispers.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Korsak sits at his desk as Frost comes back in the bullpen and looks up at him. He sees that the young man hesitates for a moment when he spots Jane's untouched desk, "Yeah, I always react the same way. How's Maura?"  
Frost sits down at his desk, "As good as can be expected under the circumstances. The last results are back. They match to Ryan Flynn."  
"Any traces of Vera Flynn?"  
Frost shakes his head, "No."  
Korsak closes his eyes, his head is buzzing. "Ryan Flynn wasn't clever enough to plan all the murders by himself. Does he have a brother?"  
Frost types on his keyboard and nods, "Yeah. Michael Flynn. But he is in jail for holdup murder."  
Korsak takes a headache pill and washes it down with coffee.  
"Rough night," Frost asks.  
Korsak nods slightly, "You've seen better days, too."  
"I barely sleep a night through. Michelle already suggested to me that I should get a prescription for sleeping pills. But I won't numb me."  
"At that, we're different," the older man grumbles.  
"Korsak, that doesn't makes it undone."  
"I know that myself, thank you. If I would be in Maura's shoes, I would numb me all day long."  
Frost opens his mouth and closes it immediately again. The newest information almost slipped out of it.  
Korsak furls his eyebrows, "What is it?"  
Frost sighs and presses his lips together. "I ... can't tell you. I promised Maura."  
"Whatever it is, your secret will be safe with me." Korsak replies.  
The younger man sighs again and looks around. "You noticed that she has changed? I mean ... physically."  
Korsak stares blankly at him, "Really? Now you realize that you have feelings for this poor woman?"  
Frost frowns deeply, "What? No, ugh. Jane is my partner, too. I tried to give you that she is pregnant."  
Korsak's eyebrows shoot up high, "What? Did she ..."  
"No, it's Jane's."  
"What is Jane's?" Angela asks as she enters the bullpen with two cups of coffee.  
Frost frowns deeply, "Um ... procedure. It's Jane's procedure."  
"Oh," Angela says and turns to the glass board. She holds her breath as she sees the pictures off all the victims. "He killed all these people?"  
Korsak thank her for the fresh coffee and nods his head. "Yeah, they were all good cops."  
She glances at him. "But why did he have such a grudge against the police?"  
He shrugs his shoulders. "Only Ryan Flynn can answer that question."  
"And he shot himself after he ..." Frost says and trails off.  
Angela turns to him and glances at him. She knows what he was about to say. "Call me if you need anything."  
Frost presses his lips together and drops his chin to his chest.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Maura sits at the desk in her study and jumps a little as the door opens and closes again. She looks up from her laptop and sees Jane pressing her back against the said door**, **breathing heavily. "Jane, what's wrong?"_  
_**"**Ma's driving me nuts," Jane answers._  
_"Why?"_  
_"Because she an helicopter mother."_  
_Maura chuckles, "What has your mother done this time?"_  
_Jane lowers her eyebrows, "Since our engagement, Ma knows only one topic: Wedding planning. Jane, what do you want to wear at your wedding? Nothing at all. I'm going to get married nude."_  
_Maura laughs and gets up to her feet and walks over to Jane. "That sounds very tempting but I would like to have a few wedding guests. Not many, just a few."_  
_Jane shrugs her shoulders, "That's manageable."_  
_Maura smiles mischievously and runs a hand over her fiancée's stomach, "Not if you want to get married nude. I **hate** to share your body."_

_"You are so possessive, Dr. Isles." Jane husks._  
_Maura leans into the Italian's personal space, "In terms for that. Yes, very much."_  
_Jane smiles a little and places her hands on the small of Maura's back. She leans her head down and kisses the smaller woman gently on her lips. "Why didn't we have done that before?"_  
_"Kissing?" Maura asks smiling._  
_Jane rolls her eyes in a good Rizzoli manner, "Yes, Maura. That's exactly what I meant. Because we've never kissed before. Why have we waited so long for all of this? I mean, we wasted so many years. You know what Frankie said to me today?"_  
_Maura frowns and shakes her head, "No, how could I?"_  
_Jane wrinkles her nose briefly. "Right. We haven't seen at work today. **Well**, he said that all of this was only a matter of time. That we have been dating forever."_

_Maura narrows her eyes. "Well, technically it's incorrect. We've been for years friends."_  
_Jane stomps impatiently her foot on the floor, "**Maura**! That's what he meant."_

"_Oh," Maura whispers._  
_Jane's shoulders slump, "Yeah, oh."_  
_Maura licks her lips, "Well, none of us was sure if the other would reciprocate the feeling of the other. But we do. And now we, you and I , are here and we're getting married. And everything else doesn't matter anymore."_  
_Jane looks straight into Maura's hazel eyes and smiles softly. "You're right. Everything else doesn't matter anymore. Now there is only a **us**. I will not hesitate a second to say that I want to marry you when we're standing in front of the altar. Because I love you with all my heart, Maura."_

_Maura smiles broadly and pulls Jane's head down. "I love you too. I love you like I never loved anyone before. You're the love of my life, Jane."_  
_"And you are mine," Jane whispers before she closes the last distance and kisses the smaller woman sweetly._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura stands in the door frame of her study and doesn't cry as the memory invades her mind. On the contrary, she has to smile a little. It's not to cover up her mental state, it's a real smile. Her eyes still mirrors all her pain but this smile is a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. She realizes that it is a step forward. She welcomed the memory instead of fighting it.  
"What are we smiling at," Angela whispers in Maura's ear.  
Maura jumps a little. She looks at her mother-in-law. "At a memory, a good one."  
"Oh," Angela says and takes her distance again. "Do you want to be alone or do we share a bottle of wine?"  
Maura shakes her head. "No. And no, would you be so kind and make me a cup of tea instead?"  
"Of course," the older woman says. "The tea that Jane always calls 'panda poop tea'?"  
Maura laughs for real since a very long time. "Yes, please. I just go and change."  
Angela smiles broadly, "Okay, honey."  
Maura starts to walk to make her way to her bedroom and stops again. "And feel free to have a glass of wine ... or a whole bottle."  
Angela points with her thumb over her shoulder, "I just drink the glass that I've already poured for you."  
"Okay," Maura laughs, but then she turns serious again. "Angela?"  
The older woman turns back to her, "Yes?"  
Maura fights with her tears, "Thank you."  
Angela glances long at Maura and keeps her own tears at bay, "You're welcome, Maura."


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys, this is not an update only a little note. I have to admit I am not quite sure where I want to go with this story. And I also have to apologize to you readers because I haven't said that MAYBE a major character will die. So my apologies. As I said I am not sure where I want to go with this or if I can finish it. I said that this story was inspired by a video I saw on YouTube but it was also inspired by a bad phase of mine. I lost someone who was who was really close to me a little while ago. I grow up with this person like he was my brother ... In the truest sense of the word. This person knew me since my first day on this world. So, if I continue this story, it'll only be on those darker moments. Again my for not being completely honest. **

**T73**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys. Well, I have decided to post a little update of this story. I hope you'll like it. And thank you for reading and following. Of course you are all welcome to tell me what you think. Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura sits in her black silky pajama on her couch and stares straight ahead when Angela hands her a tea cup. Maura sighs and accepts the mug with a smile.  
Her mother-in-law sits down next to the blonde and sighs as well. "You and Jane sat here and always giggled like two little schoolgirls when I came in here in the evening. I mean before you started to date."  
Maura smiles a little. "When she spent her restless nights here."  
Angela nods her head agreeing. "Yes, I always thought that I would caught you in the act."  
Maura laughs briefly. "I think at some nights we were close to our first kiss. But in retrospect, it didn't happened as we were influenced by too much alcohol."  
"So the two of you couldn't regret it."  
"Not the slightest bit."  
Angela starts to laugh amused.  
"What?" Maura chuckles.  
The older woman grins broadly. "Jane said the same thing. Word for word."  
Maura smiles and her cold warms a little bit.  
Angela thrusts her chin to Maura's left hand. "You're still wearing them."  
Maura looks down at her engagement ring and her wedding band that is a simple platinum ring with a golden Gordon knot engraved in the middle and on top of that three diamonds in it. She places her hand on the third ring that dangles from her silver necklace. "I ... I can't take them off." she says and tears invades her eyes. She drops her eyes to her lap. "I can't take them off because then it all would be real. And I am still not ready, Angela. I still have the hope that it is just a bad dream. That I will wake up any minute and she lies next to me. And that Ryan Flynn has never existed in our lives and that he hasn't ripped her out of my life. That Jane will come through the front door and that we can start our family together. Like we have planned it before all this happened. And I know that it is irrational and just wishful thinking. But I want it so badly to be real."  
Angela pulls her into a tight hug and rubs Maura's back. She closes her eyes and wishes the same things like Maura. "I know, sweetheart. I wish nothing but the same like you."  
Maura clings to her mother-in-law's shirt and she cries bitter tears.  
Angela takes a deep breath as pain invades her whole body immensely. "Tell me." she whispers. "What memory made you smile when you were standing at your study. But leave all the dirty details out."  
Maura makes sound between a sob and a laugh. "It was the memory of the day as you got all wild because of our wedding. There are no dirty details. I worked on a dissemination of mine as she stormed into the study and told me that you drive her nuts."  
Angela chuckles amused. "Was it when you locked yourself away for two days in a row?"  
Maura nods her head. "Yes."  
"It was just a pretext to see you because she missed you."  
"What?" Maura whispers confused.  
Angela looks long at her with a broad smile. "Jane missed you and went under false pretense up to your study. She wanted to see you. In reality we were down here and ate all the wedding cake samples. She was excited like a child on Christmas morning."  
Maura takes her distance and furrows her eyebrows. "And my false pretense was the dissemination. I was looking for a proper wedding vow."  
Angela stares in disbelief at her and then rolls her eyes. "Oh ... **The two of you**."

Maura wipes away her tears and starts to laugh with the matriarch.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane smoothes the invisible wrinkles out of her trouser and frowns deeply. "Do I look okay?"_  
_Frost rolls his eyes for a thousand times. "You do look like Frankie and Korsak and me. And everybody else who is a member of the law enforcement and who is a guest."_  
_She wrinkles her nose. "God, I hope not."_  
_"Why? What's wrong with that?"_  
_"I would have ..." she pauses and furrows her eyebrows as she glances at the two men who are in the dressing room. "the wrong gender? What? Did you thought that I would say that I would have the wrong skin color?"_  
_Frankie chuckles amused as he sees Frost's expression._  
_Frost pulls her on her belt to put it in place. "Now your dress uniform sits properly."_  
_Jane smirks broadly. "Normally guys pay me a couple of drinks before they want to take my clothes off."_  
_He chuckles and shakes his head. "Does your bride know about that?"_  
_She shakes her head. "Probably not. If she would know that then we wouldn't be here today."_  
_Her brother scoffs._  
_She glare at him. "Why are you in here again?"_  
_Frankie frowns deeply. "Where else should I be?"_  
_Jane growls dangerously. "With Maura!"_  
_"And who the hell ..."_  
_"Hey, Janie." Tommy cuts him off as he enters the dressing room. "Sorry for being late."_  
_Frankie's shoulders slumps. "Really?"_  
_Tommy looks confused at them but smirks. "What?"_  
_Jane starts to laugh and looks at Frankie. "We'll be fine. Go and take care of Maura please."_  
_Frankie grins and nods his head. "Fine."_  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Maura takes another critical look in the large mirror and licks her lips._  
_Constance smiles amused. "You look beautiful Maura."_  
_Maura beams broadly. "Thank you."_  
_Korsak enters the dressing room and frowns. "Wow. By all means, if I would be ages younger, even I wouldn't say no."_  
_"Mr. Korsak." Constance chuckles amused and swats his arm._  
_Maura has chosen a simple white dress that leaves no room for imaginations. It is strapless and hugs her at all the right places._  
_She had decided that she doesn't need any extraordinary dress to have a wonderful wedding. It only depends on the person that she is going to marry. And she knows that Jane would tell her that she isn't going to marry the dress but the woman in it. So, why not keeping it simple?_  
_Maura has her hair pinned up with hair pins and wears an decent make-up._  
_Constance stands up from her chair and kisses her daughter on the cheek. "Your father is so sorry that he can't be here and walk you down the aisle."_  
_"You still could do it, Mom." Maura says and glance at Korsak._  
_He holds his hands up. "I have no objections."_  
_Constance smiles but shakes her head. "I prefer to sit in the first row and cry."_  
_Maura laughs amused and in the same time nervously._  
_Korsak grins and offer her his right arm. "Shall we?"_  
_She links her arm with his and takes a deep breath. "Yes, we should. Sergeant, can I ask you a question?"_  
_He nods her head. "Of course."_  
_"What is Jane going to wear?"_  
_He wears his own dress uniform and smirks. "She told me that she told me she is getting married nude."_  
_She laughs heartily and beams as they stop at the broad oak door._  
_The Wedding March starts and the guests get up from the benches as the two enter the chapel._  
_Maura can see that Jane's knees give a little bit in for a moment as soon as she sees Maura._  
_Frost stabilizes her but Jane slaps his hand away and mutters something._  
_Korsak grins and winks at Maura before he leaves the two women alone in front of the altar._  
_Maura beams happily and let her eyes roam over the Italian._  
_Jane suddenly squirms. "I feel a little underdressed."_  
_Maura chuckles amused. "As long as you don't feel underdressed ... For now."_  
_Jane stops to squirm and growls low._  
_The priest shakes slightly his head and starts the ceremony._  
_Jane can't keep her eyes away from her bride and can't help the growl that escapes from her throat._  
_Some of the wedding guests in the front row have to chuckle._  
_Maura blushes slightly and swallows hard. But then she has to smile. She has seen Jane in her dress uniform a couple of times. She can feel that her arousal grows even bigger and chews the inside of her cheek._  
_Jane can sense the change of mood and furls her eyebrows. "What is it?" she whispers._  
_Maura let her eyes roam over Jane's body_ _again and smirks. "Normally I have to force you to wear your dress uniform."_  
_Jane shrugs her shoulders and grins. "Well, we're not getting married every day, do we?"_  
_Maura chuckles and shakes her head. "No, we don't get married every day."_  
_Jane rubs nervously her hands and grins even wider. "You look beautiful."_  
_"Thank you." Maura whispers back._  
_Jane raises her eyebrows and glances at the priest. "Shall we?"_  
_The man raises an skeptical eyebrow._  
_Maura closes briefly her eyes. "Jane!" she hisses._  
_The whole ceremony is kept simple. The two women agreed that they don't want to have something to fancy._  
_Here and there are some tears shed._  
_But against Angela a big waterfall is a real joke._  
_Frankie has clasped his hands in front of him and grins broadly._  
_Frost has a big smile on his lips and takes several deep breaths. If he wouldn't have grasped the opportunity none of them would be here today. But **that** ... he didn't saw coming so fast._

_The young priest glances at the Italian. "Jane, do you want to read your vow?"_  
_Jane frowns and licks her lips. "Yeah. I mean ..." she takes a deep breath. "Maura, in you I found a treasure. You are beautiful and invaluable. No money in this world could get me what we already have." she swallows hard and furrows her eyebrows. "Maura, you're the best thing that ever happened to me, and it feels so good how you live me. I forget the rest of the world when you're next to me. I tell you too ... I tell you too rarely ... that it is wonderful that you are in my life." she pauses and frowns. "When you fall asleep next to me, I could watch you all night, listen to your breathing until you awake in the next morning. You do all those things to me. You take my breath away when you're simply laying next to me. I can hardly believe that someone like me, really deserves someone so beautiful like you. Your smile is addictive, almost like you are not from this world." she licks her lips again and considers her next words. "Even your closeness would be poison, I would stay with you until I die. Your leaving would shatter my whole world, but I will not think about that now because this moment with you is too beautiful right now. You fuel me with strength and take doubts off my mind. Maura, you could tell me a thousand lies, I would believe all of them. But still one last doubt remains: That someone like me deserves someone like you. When my life turns upside down, you are my peace and my sanctuary. Because everything you tell me feels so incredibly good to me. When I am restless, you are the journey without ending. That's why I put my world in your protective hands." she says and puts the wedding band on Maura's left ring finger._  
_Maura has to fight with her own tears and swallows hard. She closes her eyes and has to smile to keep a scaring sob in her throat._  
_The priest smiles broadly and looks at the smaller woman. "Maura."_  
_Maura takes a shakily breath and looks Jane directly into Jane's eyes. "Jane, I can't promise that we will experience only good times. But I can promise you that I will stand in good and not good times, with full confidence in you, by your side, in front of you or behind you. I can't promise you that we will never walk over stony paths. But I can promise you that I will always assist you in all your projects and that I will accompany you. I can't promise you that we will always share the same opinion." she laughs when she sees Jane's expression that tells _We rarely do ... at work. "_But I can promise you that I will always respect you and love you and that I will keep no secrets away from you. I promise you that I will always hold you, hug you and comfort you." a tear runs down her cheek. "I can not promise you that we always will be treated fairly and equitably. But I can promise you that I will be there for you and that my heart will only belong to you. Because you are my greatest gift, my sunshine, my happiness, my life and my love."_  
_Jane grins like a Cheshire cat as Maura puts the wedding band on her left ring finger while the priest declares them officially as wife and wife._  
_She needs no time and presses her lips on Maura's and sighs in relief as the guests starts to cheer and whistle._  
_Maura smiles broadly into the kiss and wraps her arms around Jane's ... her wife's neck._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_The Italian growls low as she runs her tongue along the hem of her wife's white, strapless lace bra ... and over the mound of Maura's breasts. "Since I have seen you in that dress ..." she mumbles against the blonde's skin and Maura moans unashamed."I wanted to rip it off of your body."_  
_Maura rolls her hips. "I know." she breathes._  
_Jane pulls down the right cup of the bra to expose an erected nipple. She runs the tip of her tongue over it and moans from the depth of her throat as it hardens even more. "I wanted to sit you down on that altar and bury my head between your legs, eating you out in front of everyone. Sucking everything up that you would offer to me."_  
_Maura bites her bottom lip and arches her back._  
_"I already saw it during the ceremony." Jane whispers. "I saw that you want me too."_  
_"God." Maura moans. "I still want you, Jane. I only want you."_  
_Jane looks up at her newlywed wife and kisses her passionately._  
_Tongues start to dance in a perfect harmony._  
_Jane let her hands wander over spread legs and growls as the blonde rolls her hips again. "I love you." she whispers as she pushes the lace panties down._  
_"Yes," Maura says agreeing and moans as she feels the needed pressure on her clit. "claim what's ..." she rolls her hips once more. "What's yours."_  
_Jane is already on the edge of her climax and thrusts two fingers easily into her wife before she captures Maura's lips._  
_Maura whimpers into the kiss. It's rough, it's fast, it's a fuck and it's all she needs in this moment. She doesn't want to hold back and she does not want that Jane holds back too. It doesn't bother her that she is still wearing her underwear. Instead she wraps her legs around Jane's thighs to pull her closer._  
_Jane grunts and went rigid all of a sudden. If she would be a man, she could come inside her wife and Maura moans deeply like she would welcome it._  
_This isn't how Jane had planned at all. She wanted to make love to her wife on their wedding night and not to fuck her senseless. "I'm sorry." she mumbles. "But that god damn dress ..."_  
_Maura smiles broadly and runs her right hand over Jane's neck. "It's okay, Jane. I wanted it too. And I know that this wasn't all that you can offer."_  
_Jane glance down at her wife and furrows her eyebrows. "No, I have to offer a lot more. But ..."_  
_Maura smiles mischievously. "But what?"_  
_Jane tugs on the bra. "Help me with that. It's driving me crazy that **I** can't get rid of it."_

_Maura laughs and unclasps her hooks of the bra._  
_Jane runs gently her left hand over Maura's belly until the back of her fingers hit the underside of Maura's breasts. "That's much better." she says with a smile._  
_Maura closes her eyes and her skin starts to burn again. "Oh my God ..." she whispers._  
_"Just Jane." the Italian whispers back and kisses her wife along the collarbone._  
_Maura starts moaning again as she hears that name._  
_Jane smiles as she takes an erected nipple in her mouth, sucking and nipping on it._  
_Maura squirms but whimpers in protest as Jane releases it again._  
_Jane kisses her all the way down to her wife's pubic bone._  
_Maura sighs as Jane takes a moment and rolls her hips. "I still want you, Jane."_  
_Jane skids down and stares between Maura's leg. "I can see that. Jesus, Maura ..."_  
_Maura moans and bends her legs, inviting her wife. "That's what happens when you say my name."_  
_Jane position herself and kisses the inner thigh of Maura. Then she stares at the inviting opening. "Maura ..." she growls low. She can see the opening clenching and Maura arches her back._  
_Jane decides to not be an asshole and runs her tongue through the folds._  
_Maura sits up immediately and buries her hands in the mane of her wife._  
_Jane growls again and thrusts a single finger into Maura._  
_It's enough to throw Maura over the edge once again. She pushes the head of Jane away and breathes heavily._  
_Jane smiles happily and kisses Maura gently._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"That wasn't an indecent thought." Angela laughs.  
Maura blinks a few times. "Excuse me?"  
Angela points at her neck. "Your neck is flushing."  
Maura places an hand on her own neck. "Well, I love Jane ..." she starts to defend herself.  
Angela waves her statement with her hand off. "Don't go all scientifically on me. I won't tell anyone that you had an ... adult thought."  
Maura isn't offended, a little bit embarrassed but also relieved. She nods her head and tries to smile.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, I have a new updates for you. I know that you are eager to know what happened to Jane. I can promise you that in the chapter after that one the question will be answered. I've already written it. Anyway, enjoy this little update.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane sits at a round white table on the terrace of a leased vacation cottage in Belize._  
_She enjoys the already warm sun and sips the freshly brewed coffee while she reads the latest news of Boston by her newspaper app on her phone._  
_Right the day after their wedding Maura and she had made their way to the airport to escape from the city and their mothers._  
_During the wedding planning, the two women had finally agreed that they would spend their honeymoon in Belize._  
_Jane raises an eyebrow as soon as she feels two cold hands on her warm shoulders._  
_"I thought that I could interest you to take a shower with me but you seem to be eager to know what is happening at home."_  
_"You didn't told me that you were going to take a shower." Jane replies._  
_Maura frowns and sits down in Jane's lap. She is only dressed in a bath towel. "I got naked. What did you thought that I was going to do?"_  
_Jane shrugs her shoulders. "Skinny-dipping ?"_  
_"Skinny-dipping?" Maura asks back. "And that would interest you?"_  
_Jane wraps her arms around the middle of her wide and takes a deep breath. "Everything that involves you is interesting for me."_  
_Maura smiles and leans her head down. She kisses the Italian's lips gently and pulls away as Jane tries to loosen the towel. "Jane, what are you doing?"_  
_Jane stops her work and frowns as she looks up. "Well, that what you wanted me to do in the shower."_  
_Maura wraps the towel again around her. "Not here on the terrace, Jane."_  
_Jane makes an pouty face. "Why not? This could be a nice show for the other visitors."_  
_Maura chuckles and sips Jane's coffee. She turns up her nose. "Oh gosh, your coffee is more sugar than coffee."_  
_Jane grins broadly. "That's what happens when you drink my coffee without my permission."_  
_Maura swats her wife's arm and rolls her eyes._  
_Jane laughs amused and tightens her grip on Maura's waist. "What shall we do today?"_  
_Maura runs her hands through the dark curls of her wife. "What do you want to do?"_  
_Jane closes her eyes and places her head against the blonde's collarbone. "Exactly that."_  
_"Cuddling?" Maura asks with surprise._  
_Jane looks up and frowns. "Don't sound so surprised."_  
_The blonde smiles a little. "All right. Then we stay here for today."_  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura enters the BPD building and smiles at the officers who passes her. It's a weak smile but she doesn't think that it matters much under these circumstances.  
"Dr. Isles." says someone and she turns her head to the source. It's Lieutenant Cabana. "How are you?"  
She takes a deep breath. "It will need time but it's getting better."  
He nods his head once. "I just wanted to warn you. Detective Frost and Sergeant Korsak will bring in Vera Flynn."  
Suddenly, the entire entrance hall is deadly silent. Even the criminals don't say a word.  
Maura and Cavanaugh turn their heads to the entrance in the same time.  
Korsak and Frost have a woman in her mid-fifties between them.  
She has grey hair and ice blue, empty eyes. Her face is an stony mask.  
Maura can feel that all color drains from her face and a lump forms in her throat. She will never forget those eyes.  
Angela comes out of the Café and she opens her mouth but nothing comes out of it.  
Cavanaugh sighs heavily and glances at the smaller woman. "I'm sorry. I thought that they would need more time."  
Maura licks her lips and raises briefly her eyebrows. "I am late for work. Would you please excuse me."  
"I am really sorry, Dr. Isles." he says again.  
Maura smiles a little and decides to take the stairs down to the lap. She opens the metal door and as soon as it falls shut behind her she braces herself on the banister. She tries to breath in deeply but her lungs won't fill themselves with air. She slumps down on the floor and starts to sob bitterly. She wasn't to see Vera Flynn.  
She knows that Cavanaugh meant it well as he tried to warn her. This woman is probably the reason why her whole life has crumpled down. No, she really wasn't prepared to meet this ... person. Not at all.  
Maura takes a deep breath and wipes her tears away. She closes her eyes to compose herself again. She needs to keep herself together when she is in this building.  
At home, it doesn't matter when she breaks down.  
Here, she has to keep herself together. Here, she is Dr. Maura Isles, the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.  
She takes another deep breath and nods to herself before she starts to walk down the stairs.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane groans as her phone starts to ring. She turns on her back and runs an hand through her hair. She sighs as her sleeping wife places an hand on her shoulder. She switches on the bedside and makes an face as Maura whimpers. She takes the device in her hand and blinks a couple of times before she takes a look at the display._  
_"Who is calling you at such a ungodly hour?" Mayra mumbles._  
_Jane rubs her eyes with one hand. "Work." she answers before she accepts the call. "Rizzoli."_  
_Maura groans as her phone starts ringing as well. She turns to her bedside table and takes the phone in her hand, accepting the call too. "Isles."_  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane has an stoic face as the married couple arrives at the crime scene._  
_Maura's face isn't any different._  
_Korsak comes up to them and frowns._  
_The Italian furls her eyebrows as she sees the expression of the older man. "That bad?"_  
_"Worse." Korsak answers immediately. "The victim is one of us."_  
_"Oh no." Maura says and looks at her wife._  
_Jane clenches her teeth and swallows hard. "Someone we know?"_  
_Korsak nods his head. "Stella Banks."_  
_Jane closes her eyes. "Damn it." she whispers._  
_"Who is Stella Banks?" Maura asks and glances at the two Detectives._  
_Jane puts on her gloves and sniffles. "Stella Banks is an old friend of Frankie. They graduated academy together. They also were in a relationship."_  
_"Poor Frankie." Maura replies as they walk toward an old factory building._  
_Jane frowns deeply. "Who has found her?"_  
_Korsak thrusts his chin to an older man and woman who are standing with an officer. "Ryan and Vera Flynn. They say that they walked their dog as they found the body."_  
_Jane eyes the couple skeptically. "Odd vicinity and odd time to walk the dog together. Even I just open the poor door at such a time when Jo really needs to pee."_  
_Maura turns her head to the Italian. "What?"_  
_Jane gives Korsak a sideglance. "Uh ..." she says and points at their dead co-worker. "The body, Dr. Isles."_  
_Maura glares at her. "We will talk about that, **Detective Rizzoli**. To plant the roses did cost me a lot of effort."_

_Jane squints at the ceiling and bites back a groan._  
_"I saw that." Maura says as she kneels down next to the body._  
_Jane lowers her eyebrows. "They are only roses. What Jo is doing is called ... Biological fertile."_  
_Maura looks over her shoulder. "No. It's called disgusting."_  
_Korsak chuckles amused. "How is the married life."_  
_Jane turns with her back away from her wife and rolls her eyes. _Annoying_, she mouths._

_He smirks broadly._  
_Jane smiles too and turns back to the corpse. "Okay, lets focus on work again. We have a dead cop. I want to catch this son of a bitch as fast as possible. Where the heck is Frost?"_  
_"He takes care of Frankie." Korsak answers._  
_Jane looks around and frowns. "Okay, good." she crouches down. "What can you tell me, Maura?"_  
_Maura points with her gloved finger at the neck of the young woman. "She has strangulation marks on her neck."_  
_Jane furls her eyebrows. "These are deep cuts in the skin. Could she be strangled with an wire?"_  
_Maura raises briefly her eyebrows. "Possible. I can't say that now. **But** she has defensive wounds on both of her hands."_

_Jane makes an gesture with her hands on her neck. "Stella tried to loosen wi ..." she pauses as she sees the blonde's face. "Murder weapon. She fought back." she frowns as Maura still glares at her. "What? Do you disagree?"_  
_Maura licks her lips. "Well, I can say that she did fought back. But I can't confirm that she was strangled with a wire."_  
_Jane exhaled slowly through her mouth. "I am sure that she wasn't strangled with an extra thin shoe lace."_  
_The blonde frowns slightly. "I only can say what the murder weapon was after I've performed the autopsy. It can happen that there are bleedings in the tissue that only gets visible after a amount of time."_  
_Jane furls her eyebrows and points at Stella's half-closed. "There are petechial hemorrhages in her eyes."_  
_Maura nods her head. "Because of the strangulation. The capillaries burst because of the pressure. An horrible death. You fight back until your last breath. In the truest sense of the word. That can be worse than drowning."_  
_Her wife frowns. "Really?"_  
_Maura presses her lips to a thin line together._  
_Korsak holds an wire up and furls his eyebrows. "Jane?"_  
_She turns her head to him and frowns. "What's that?"_  
_Maura looks at him too and holds her hand out. "Can I have a look please?"_  
_He nods his head and hands the object to her._  
_She furls his eyebrows as she inspects the wire. "It's an garrote."_  
_Jane furrows her eyebrows. "A what?"_  
_"A garrote." Maura repeats and frowns. "It can be made out of many different materials, including ropes, cable, ties, fishing lines, mylan, guitar strings, telephone cords or piano wires. A stick may be used to tighten the garrote; the Spanish word actually refers to the stick itself, so it's a pars pro toto where the eponymous component may actually be absent. In Spanish, the term may also refer to a rope and a stick used to constrict a limb as a torture device or to strangle a person. Since World War II, the garrote has been regularly employed as a weapon by soldiers as a silent means of eliminating sentries and other enemy personnel. Instruction in the use of purpose-built and impro ..."_  
_"Okay." Jane interrupts her and Korsak chuckles amused. "Thanks. We got it. So, this thing could be our murder weapon?"_  
_Maura nods agreeing her head and seizes the evidence. "Yes. I'll compared the patterns in the morgue."_  
_Jane nods her head once and gets up to her feet._  
_Maura does the same and follows the Italian. "Jane, I have something to tell you." she whispers._  
_Jane looks long at the smaller woman. "Is it important?"_  
_Maura licks her lips. "Yes."_  
_Jane takes a look around to make sure that they are out of earshot. "Okay, shoot."_  
_"I don't want to talk about it here."_  
_Jane furrows her eyebrows. "Uh ... All right. We meet you at the morgue."_  
_Maura takes a deep breath and nods her head._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura enters her ... their house and locks the door.  
It became a habit because her always lectured her about locking the door when she is alone at home.  
She sighs and feels the urge to drink a glass or ...or a whole bottle of wine. It is pretty tempting but she knows that Jane would as her a thousand questions if this would be healthy in her temporary state. That's why she denies it to herself.  
She sighs again and places her purse on the end table before she walks into the kitchen to get herself a glass of water.  
Tomorrow, she is telling herself. Tomorrow she is going to visit her wife. Tomorrow will be a hell of a day.  
Maura gulps down the water and puts the glass down on the surface of the kitchen island. She braces herself on the counter and frowns deeply.  
All of a sudden flashbacks invades her mind.  
She can see all the chaos that broke loose on that day again. She can smell all the odors and hear all the yelling. She is back in that day that changed everybody's lives.  
She winces as something circles her legs. She looks down and spots the little dog who glares at her.  
Maura crouches down and ruffles Jo Friday's fur. "Oh, sweetie. I've been neglecting you the last few months, didn't I?" she looks over to the moving rock formation. "Just like Bass. Shall we take a little walk?"  
Jo snorts and bark at the spot where Jane normally sit.  
Maura holds her keys in her hand and freezes. She sighs heavily and takes the dog leash in her other hand. "I know, sweetheart. I am missing her too." she says and walks over to the front door. She opens it and glance at the dog. "Come on, Jo Friday. Let's take a walk."  
The little dog hesitates for a moment but then she finally follows the blonde woman.


	8. Chapter 8

**So, here is the next update. I hope this chapter will answer dome of your question. I hope you like it. Like always, you are welcome to tell me what you think. I hope you like it. Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura comes down the stairs and smiles at Angela who is standing behind the kitchen island. "Good morning, Angela."  
The matriarch looks up and smiles back at her. "Morning. How did you sleep?"  
"A little better." Maura answers truthfully.  
"I was about to make you breakfast. Do you wanna have pancakes?"  
"Actually ..." the younger woman says and gathers her belongings. "I am about to leave. I am sorry, I should have told you last evening that I am leaving earlier this morning."  
Angela waves the statement with her hand. "Don't apologize for doing your job, Maura."  
Maura licks her lips and plays the a key on the keychain. "I wanted to go and visit Jane before my shift is starting."  
Angela turns serious and is quiet for a moment. "Oh ..." she says with a frown. "Do you want me to come with you?"  
Maura takes a deep breath and shakes her head. "No, I have to handle this alone."  
"Are you sure?" Angela asked worriedly.  
Maura nods her head. "Yes, but thank you. Oh, but could you do me a favor, please?"  
"Of course, honey."  
"Could you take Jo Friday for a walk before you are leaving for work?"  
Angela chuckles and nods. "Sure. And if you need anything, just give me a call."  
Maura smiles and leaves the house.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sun warms Maura's skin and the birds sing their songs like it is an usually day.  
If she wouldn't stand here, she would call it a beautiful morning. She takes a deep breath and licks her lips before she enters the building. She swallows hard as she walks up to the reception desk.  
The young dark haired woman smiles friendly at her. "Welcome to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. How can I help you?"  
Maura hesitates for a moment. "I ... I am her to visit my wife. Detective Jane Rizzoli."  
The woman's smile falters briefly. "Oh, um ... Detective Rizzoli doesn't want to receive any visitors."  
Maura presses her lips to a thin line to and have to fight to keep her tears at bay. She knows that Frankie has visited his sister. This can only mean that Jane only doesn't want to see her and this fact breaks her heart. "I know that you only trying to respect my wife's wishes and on any other day I really would appreciate it." she says with an shaking voice. "But I really need to see her."  
The woman looks long at her and writes something down on a sheet of paper. Then she hands Maura the note. "She will be really mad at me."  
Maura doesn't even try to smile and takes the note. "Thank you."  
She licks her lips once more and starts to walk to the elevators. She is quite aware that this encounter won't be like in her dream of the last night. That nothing would be okay again like she dreamt it. She isn't that naive or stupid to believe that her dream will come true. She knows that it is only wishful thinking. She knows that Jane won't be happy to see her. She knows that this reencounter will be rather painful.  
A happening like that needs more than only physical recovery. It also needs mental recovery.  
She sighs heavily as the elevator door opens again and steps out of it. She rounds the corner and finds herself in a big common room.  
She sees a lot of persons who are in the need of care. Some of them are sitting in a wheelchair. Others of them try to hold themselves up on crutches. But they all communicate with each other or laugh with each other.  
Only one person sits offside and stares out of one of the large windows.  
Maura would recognize the lanky woman out of a thousand persons. Her heart starts to thud hard against her ribcage as she slowly walks towards the woman. If she wouldn't know any better she would say that it almost leaps out of her chest.  
She takes a deep breath and sits down on the free chair next to the woman. Her mouth is dry like a desert and she has to fight with herself to stay put in the chair she presses her lips to a thin line together. She wants to say so much but nothing seems to make much sense. "Hello, Jane." she says with an hoarse voice.  
Jane doesn't say anything anything nor does she look at Maura.  
Maura nods her head to herself and licks her lips. "The doctors told me that you are recovering very well. That they ... That they can send you home in a couple of weeks."  
Jane clenches her teeth. "Why are you here?" she asks with an harsh tone.  
Normally, now Maura would back away and leave her wife alone until she is in a better mood. But not today, not now. She places an hand on the Italian's thigh and regrets the gesture immediately. She removes her hand again. "I wanted to see you, Jane."  
"There is a reason why I don't want to see anyone." the Italian spits.  
Maura runs her fingers along her bottom lip. She is longing for Jane's lips on her own. "I know that Frankie visit you for a couple of times in the week. And Korsak and Frost."  
"Just because they always come back even though I told them not to." Jane replies and glares at her. "It's great to see that all of you are respecting my wishes."  
The blond furrows her eyebrows. "We all care about you, Jane."  
"Yeah, great. Thanks."  
Maura closes her eyes and stifles a sob. This isn't the same woman with whom she fell in love with. This woman is just an empty shell.  
"Oh, for heaven's sake." Jane barks and her wife wince. "**Stop to cry**. **You have absolutely no right to cry**. **Stop**. **to**. **cry**."

"That's not fair, Jane." Maura whispers and looks long at the Italian.  
Jane glares at her and wheels back in her chair. She hits her legs hard with her fist. "Fair? You really want to talk about fairness? **This isn't fair**!" she yells. "This isn't fair at all! I shouldn't be sitting in this god damn wheelchair. I would rather be dead. You should have let me die. I wish you would have let me die."  
Maura closes her eyes again and a tear rolls down her cheek. "Don't say that, Jane. Please."  
Jane snorts and clench her fists. "But it's true. It's true, Maura. I am nothing, I am useless."  
Maura shakes her head and wants to touch the Italian, she craves to touch her. "You are my wife."  
Jane pulls up her protective walls again. "Your wife died that day, on the fucking ground in the warehouse."  
Maura sniffles and tries to compose herself again. Maybe she can talk to her wife if she changes the subject. "We should tell your mother."  
"What?" Jane hisses. "That I am paralyzed? I think she already knows it. Just like everyone else knows it."  
"That I am pregnant." the blond replies.  
Jane swirls around and in that moment she looks like her old surprised self. "You haven't told her yet?"  
Maura shakes her head. "I only told Frost. And I am one hundred percent sure that he has told Korsak."  
Jane is for a moment her old self again. Of course he told Korsak. A smile tugs on the corners of her lips. But it is just a moment. All of a sudden her face turns as hard as stone again. "You should go now."  
Maura's stomach drops. "What?"  
Jane glares at her. "Go."  
Maura sobs and nods her head. She gets up and wants to kiss her wife.  
Jane turns her head to the side.  
Maura kisses Jane's cheek and is grateful for the little contact. "I love you, Jane. I will always love you."  
Jane went rigid and holds her breath. Oh, how she loves the small contact but her brain tells her immediately that she doesn't deserve this kind of love. That's why she doesn't say it back. "Maura?"  
Maura stops walking and turns around. Her heart skips a beat because the Italian says her name like in the old days. "Yes?"  
"How is my mother doing?"  
The blond walks back to the chair next to her wife and sits down again. She knew it. She knew that there is still a small hope that the old Jane is still somewhere in this shell. She furrows her eyebrows. "Hasn't Tommy or Frankie told you?"  
"They only told me what they thought would be best for my" Jane makes quotation marks. "recovery."  
Maura has to smile a little but she hides it. "Well, in the beginning Angela had a really hard time. She couldn't understand why you didn't want her to visit you in the hospital or here in the rehab clinic. But she understood that you need time. And now she is doing much better. I am sure that she would be really happy if you give her a call or if you let her visit you."  
Jane looks away and takes a deep breath. "I can't let her see me like that."  
"Jane," Maura says softly. "she is your mother. She has seen you in lot worse conditions already."  
Jane glares at her. "In lot worse conditions?" she growls low. "Are you serious? I am a god damn cripple! I am paraplegic. How much worse can it be?"  
"You could be dead." Maura replies.  
Jane huffs and crosses her arms over her chest. "I would prefer that instead of being dependent on a god damn wheelchair."  
"Do you believe that your mother is thinking the same, Jane?" Maura snaps and Jane looks kinda shocked at her. "Do you believe that your brothers would prefer to visit your grave instead to visit you in the rehab clinic? Do you really think that I rather would be a widow? What about Korsak and Frost? We all love you, Jane. Paraplegic or not. All that matters to us is that you are still alive. That you are still breathing and that you are coming home. Even Jo Friday is missing you."  
Jane clenches her teeth and looks away. "Home. I don't have a home."  
Maura glances long at her. "Yes, you have a home."  
"And what do you think how it works? Shall I crawl up the steps of the front porch or the stairs to the bedrooms?"  
Maura frowns deeply. "We can make arrangements. We can alter our house."  
"Yeah, and thus spend a fortune." the Italian grumbles.  
Maura can't hold back anymore. She places an hand on Jane's and doesn't care as the Italian balls her it into a fist. "I don't care about money when it comes to you, Jane. All I care for is that you are coming home."  
Jane is silent for a while and stares out of the window. "I am not the self person I was a year ago anymore, Maura."  
Maura smiles a little as she realizes that she has reached her wife but it disappears immediately. "Neither am I, Jane. None of us is still the same person. We all have changed." she glances down at her watch and sighs heavily. "I have to go now, Jane. Please think about what I have said." she says and wants to kiss her wife's cheek again. She is taken by surprise as the Italian turns her head so that her lips land on Jane's.  
Maura stifles a whimper and a tear runs down her cheek. She has to force herself to break the long-desired kiss and keeps her eyes shut. She doesn't know if this was just an accident, that's why she doesn't read too much in the kiss. But it felt so good, it felt so right. "I should go now." she whisper.  
Jane squeezes her hand lightly. "Yeah."  
Maura smiles a real smile this time before she leaves her wife.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura enter the Division One Café with a broad smile and greets her mother-in-law who is standing behind the counter.  
Angela has an funny expression. She holds her phone to Maura. "I just received message from Jane."  
Maura rummage around in her purse and beams at the older woman. "Oh. That's great."  
Angela looks skeptically at her. "What did you say to her, Maura?"  
"Only that we all love and miss her." Maura replies and smiles happily. "And that it doesn't matter to us if she is mobility-impaired. What did she wrote to you?"  
"That she will call me tonight." Angela answers and hugs Maura over the counter. "Oh, I could kiss you, Maura."  
Maura chuckles in relief. That's a big step forward. Now they only have to take ninety-nine other steps. "I'm glad that she has contacted you." she says.  
Angela takes a deep breath. "Me too. So, what do you want to drink?"  
The blond licks her lips. "I would like to have a cup of green tea."  
Angela furls her eyebrows. "In recent times, you drink a lot more tea instead of coffee. And you're not drinking wine, either. If I wouldn't know any better, then I would think that you are pregnant."  
Maura's heart stops and she opens and closes her mouth for several times.  
"Maura," Frankie says from the entrance of the Café. "can I talk to you for a minute?"  
Maura starts breathing again and thanks God in whom she doesn't believe. She looks at the older woman. "Please excuse me." she says and walks to Frankie. She frowns. "Frankie, what's wrong?"  
"Jane just called me. She said that you visited her." he answers.  
She frowns deeply. "I am allowed to visit my wife in the rehab clinic."  
He furrows his eyebrows. "Yes, of course you are. But she said that you want her to come back to your house."  
Maura crosses her arms over her chest. "That's correct."  
"Don't you think it would be better for Jane when she moves in a residential home for people with ... Um ... with handicaps?"  
She narrows her eyes. "Did Jane told you that you should convince me about that?"  
Frankie's shoulders slump and he sighs. "She don't want to be a burden for you. You know that she can't handle changes pretty well. And her current situation is a hell of a change for all of us."  
"Oh, that woman." Maura says through clenched teeth. "She can be so stubborn sometimes. Don't she know that she won't be a burden for me?"  
Frankie exhales through his nose. "I told her that too but she thinks that such a residential home would be better for her and for us."  
Maura thinks short and considers Jane's words for a moment. Maybe her wife is right. Maybe such an institution would be better for Jane and her. But they can't know that right now. They have to give the possibility of Jane being home a shot first. Maybe for a month or so. And when Jane still has the same opinion after a run-up, then they still can talk about this institution.  
It surely would be hard for her but she would learn to live with that. She would have to learn it.  
Maura takes a deep breath and swallows hard. "I will talk with her about that later."  
Frankie nods his head and raises his eyebrows. "I am happy that the two of you are talking again."  
She smiles a little. "Yes, me too, Frankie."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

**Okay, one last note. I really could bring myself to let Jane die. I considered it but I couldn't do it. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. Please tell me what you think.**

**See you next time.**

**T73.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hi guys, I am back. Sorry for the delay. Life got in my way. Anyway, thanks for reading, following and sharing your thoughts. So, here is the next chapter. I hope you like it. And like always, you are welcome to tell me what you think. Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane enters the autopsy room and takes a deep breath. "Hey."_  
_Maura glances over her shoulder and smiles a little. "Hi. How is Frankie doing?"_  
_"Not so good." the Italian replies. "Frost's still calming him down. What do you have?"_  
_"I found skin particles under Stella's finger nails. The lab runs test already."_  
_Jane nods. "Cause of death?"_  
_"Strangulation."_  
_Jane eyes the dead woman and shakes her head. "It's such a shame. Ma really liked Stella as Frankie and she were together. She always told him that Stella would be a good catch. And now look at her."_  
_"When did they broke up?" the blonde ask._  
_"Shortly they gratitude academy." Jane answers and furrows her eyebrows. " They barely saw each other after they started to work for the police."_  
_Maura puts off her gloves and glance questioningly at her wife. "In the same police department?"_  
_Jane clasps her hands together in front of her and raises her shoulders briefly. "Yeah, but not in the same district. They drifted apart."_  
_Maura licks her lips and sighs. "That's really sad."_  
_"Yeah," the Italian agrees. "especially because Ma blamed our job. She always said that we won't be able to keep the right person if we are already married to our work."_  
_Maura chuckles and raises her eyebrows. "Well, you proved her that she was wrong."_  
_A small smile plays around Jane's lips. "Yeah." she furrows her eyebrows. "What about this ger ..."_  
_"Garrote?" Maura asks with a smile._  
_Jane nods once. "Yes. Is it the murder weapon?"_  
_Maura takes a deep breath. "I compared the wire with the marks on her neck, and I can tell that it is the murder weapon."_  
_"Why did the killer left the wire at the crime scene?" Jane mumbles. She looks at Maura and frowns. "Could you also fund skin on the wire? I mean, beside Stella's."_  
_"The lab already exams it." Maura answers and puts on her white lab coat._  
_Jane frowns deeply. "Uh ... Maura?"_  
_The smaller woman smiles at her wife. "Yes?"_  
_"You wanted ... to talk to me about something." Jane says hesitantly._  
_The smile on Maura's lips vanishes again. "Yes, please come with me in my office."_  
_Jane follows her wife into her office and closes the door behind her. "If this is about the fact that I let pee Jo Friday in the yard ... I am really sorry."_  
_Maura takes a deep breath and is silent for a moment. It's like she is considering her next words. "You remember that we have started the procedure of artificial insemination?"_  
_Jane furls her eyebrows. "Um ... Yes, that's hard to forget. Several eggs were taken from me."_  
_"You are also aware that the oocytes get inseminated outside of the body before they are implanted in the woman? In our case in me."_  
_"Yes. Yes, I am aware of the fact. I was there too. Maura, what is this about?"_  
_Maura clings with her hand to the back of her designer office chair. "As you know, I was yesterday at a appointment at my gynecologist's practice."_  
_Jane nods slowly and furrows her eyebrows. "Yes, but I couldn't come with you because Korsak and I had to arrest an killer and Frost was in court."_  
_Maura takes a deep breath and swallows hard. "Jane, it turns out that I am pregnant."_  
_Jane's jaw hits the floor and she stumbles a little backwards, staring at her wife like she had lost her mind._  
_She asks herself if she has heard right or if her brain is playing tricks on her._  
_They just tried it one time. It can't be true that it worked out. Other couples tries it for several months or even years._  
_And they just need one shot? What the hell?_  
_She blinks a couple of times. "Did you just say that you are pregnant?"_  
_Maura chews nervously on her bottom lip. "Yes."_  
_"But ..." Jane is stammering. "But we only tried it one time."_  
_Maura raises her eyebrows and shrugs. "Sometimes just one try is all it needs."_  
_Jane let the words sink in and her eyebrows shoot up high. All of a sudden she starts to beam happily. "Are you really pregnant?"_  
_Maura starts to breath again and nods. "Yes, I am really pregnant."_  
_Jane walks over to the blonde and hugs her carefully like she is embracing an fragile shell. "God, this is wonderful, Maura. Thank you so much."_  
_Maura laughs amused and also relieved. "You don't need to thank me, Jane."_  
_Jane looks lovingly at the blonde and kisses her gently. "Oh yes, I have to."_  
_Maura chuckles happy and relieved and kisses her wife once more._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura puts on her leather coat and takes her purse into her hand.  
She has decided to go back to the rehab clinic to pay her wife another visit. She doesn't care if Jane likes it or not.  
They have to talk about her idea to move in in a residential home for handicapped people.  
Maybe Jane is in a bad mood now and she is going to yell at her and perhaps insulting her too. But Maura doesn't care about that either.  
All she wants is that Jane does think about her own suggestion that Jane comes back home and that they give it shot for at least thirty days. And if it doesn't work out in those thirty days, they can talk about an alternative.  
Maura switches off the light in her office and closes the door.  
She is well aware of the fact that she isn't a fan of confrontations but she also knows that she can't always avoid them. Especially not when Jane tries to hide behind her brothers.  
**That**, she won't accept.

The blonde knows that it will be a long road that Jane and she have to take, but she is willed to wait as long as it'll takes. She has to for her own sake. She already wallowed for far too long in self-pity.  
Now it has to end. Now it will end. She can't afford it anymore. She is becoming a mother. **They** are becoming mothers.

She nods to herself to encourage herself.  
The drive to the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital only takes five minutes. It's not enough time to break her about more things.  
Maura doesn't bother to sign up herself again and walks straight up to the elevator.  
At this time she doesn't have to wait too long for the elevator. She emerges from it on the same floor like in the morning and heads to the common room.  
"Oh, come on." booms a familiar voice through the halls. "You have to be kidding me."  
Maura has to smile all of a sudden. This is the kind of behavior that she is missing.  
She enters the common room and spots her favorite lanky figure that is sitting in front of the TV. She takes a moment to enjoy the sight.  
This is her. **This** is her wife like she always knew her. And she always knew that this kind of person would still be in Jane.

Maura takes a deep breath and walks to Jane. "Hi." she almost whispers not to startle the Italian.  
Jane looks up at her and a smile tugs on the corners of her lips. "You are taking advantage of the fact that I can't kick you out of here myself, huh?"  
If Maura wouldn't see the signs of a smile she would be offended.  
But she isn't.  
Instead she chuckles a little and sits down on the chair next to her wife. "I also take advantage of the fact that you can't run away from me anymore."  
Jane's eyebrows shoot up and she stares at the blonde.  
Panic spreads through Maura's chest. That was really inappropriate, but it felt like the old times when both women were teasing each other.  
She opens her mouth to apologize but she gets interrupted as Jane bursts out laughing.  
Jane release the breaks on her wheelchair. "I still can shoot off." she laughs.  
Maura asks herself what happened over the day. The Italian seems like an completely different person. Like a person who has accepted her faith. But she knows that it can change in any second.  
She chuckles softly and embraces the warmth that spreads through her cold heart.  
Jane takes a deep breath. "You didn't bring beer with you, did you?"  
Maura glares at her. "Jane ..."  
"It was just a joke." Jane says and sighs. "I guess Frankie talked to you."  
Maura sobers immediately and nods. "He did."  
Jane nods to herself and rolls backwards. "What are you saying to my idea."  
Maura licks her lips and frowns slightly. "I would like it if we try it at home at first. At least for thirty days. And if it doesn't work out, we can talk about other options."  
The Italian takes a deep breath. "Maura ..." she says and her voice cracks. She clears her throat and tries it again. "Maura, I need help. I ... I need help with taking a shower. I need help with ... **that**. My body doesn't work anymore like it did a year ago. **I don't work like I did as we got to know each other**."

Maura runs her fingers over her lips and frowns deeply. "I know and it doesn't matter to me." she whispers.  
The Italian takes her distance. "What if we don't work anymore too? What if I mess up everything? Today is one of my good days, Maura. I don't want to hurt you. I ... I don't want to hurt Ma. That's why I didn't want to see one of you all those months. I knew that Frankie and Tommy could handle my moods. Barely, though. I didn't want the two of you see me like ... **this**."

Maura presses her lips together. "That's the reason why you didn't want to see us?"  
Jane clenches her teeth. "Yeah."  
Maura takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. It's the first day they finally talk again and they suddenly talk so much.  
A tear runs down her cheek. Not a tear of sorrow. It's a tear of happiness.  
"On our wedding day I promised you to be there for you in good and in bad times. And right now it is a bad time, but I won't leave your side. Because I love you, Jane. And the others will be there for you too. Because they love you too. And we will get through this together."  
Jane laughs bitterly. All Maura has said sounds so easy. "You make it sound like we're talking about an sprained ankle." she points down at her body. "This is not temporarily, Maura. This ... This is permanent. This is me. This is my new self. I got shot three times in my back and two of those bullets pierced my spinal cord. My shrink tells me the whole time that I should call myself lucky. Oh yeah, I'm so lucky that I am still alive. I am so lucky that I won't be able to do my job ever again. I am so that I can't feel anything from down my god damn middle part, Maura. How shall I call myself lucky? Huh? I am used to move my legs for over thirty years and now I can't anymore. My own fucking body betrays me and my shrink calls me lucky. I should myself lucky because I am confined to a wheelchair? This is so fair. Yeah, so fair ... I rather be ..."  
"You died." Maura whispers with tears in her eyes.  
Jane freezes. "What?"  
Maura looks straight in brown eyes and can't keep her tears at bay anymore. "You died, Jane. You did twice right underneath my hands. And you came back. You came back to me."  
Jane wheels forward. "I was forced back to life. If it wouldn't have been me then you would have let the victim die."  
Maura blinks the tears away and licks her lips. "I am a physician, Jane. Even if it would have been a stranger, I would have done everything possible to safe the person's life."  
Jane huffs and rolls her eyes. "Yeah, sure."  
"Jane ..." the whispers and takes a deep breath. "I know that this whole situation is hard for you. It is ..."  
"**You know nothing**!" the brunette yells and slams her hands down on the arm rests. She closes her eyes and inhales through her mouth. "You know nothing, Maura. You know that we'd gone every morning for a run. And what shall I do now? Wheel beside you and let the other people stare at me? And what about my job, huh? I do not have a job anymore! I was with heart and soul a Detective. I've worked my butt off to get into Homicide. It is easy for you. You can get out of bed every morning and can go to work, doing what you love. But I can't do what I love anymore because I am wheelchair-bound." she points at Maura's belly. "And what about this baby? How should I take care of the little one? I am not able to get up the stairs. Not to mention to frisk around. What kind of mother would that make me?"

Maura takes a deep breath and crosses her legs. "Our baby isn't born yet. We still have time, Jane."  
Jane shakes her head. "I don't know, Maura. I think you would be far better off without me."  
The blonde can't hold it back anymore and takes her wife's hand in her own. "No, I am not. I am not far better off without you. I have decided to spent the rest of my life with you. I want you to come home because ..." she places her free hand over Jane's heart. "Because I know that in there, there is still the woman with whom I fell in love. And that's all that matters. I didn't fell in love with your body."  
Jane furrows her eyebrows. "Oh no?"  
Maura rolls her eyes but smiles. "No. I fell in love with your personality and with your big heart. I know that we won't have the easiest time but we should give it a try."  
Jane drops her eyes to the floor and frowns deeply.  
Maura can see that she is considering her words and their meanings. She can see the wheels turning in Jane's head and a sparkle of hope inflames in her heart.  
Jane furls her eyebrows and glances at her wife. "All right." she mumbles.  
Maura frowns slightly. "All right?"  
Jane takes a deep breath and looks at the blonde. "We give it a try ... For thirty days. If it doesn't work I'll move into a residential home for persons like me."  
Maura tries to keep an straight face but she fails miserable. She can't hide smile that tugs on the corners of her lips. She takes a deep breath and nods. "Okay. Well that a start." she glances down at her watch and gets up to her feet, "Well, I should get going. I wanted to talk to you about that."  
Jane doesn't release the hand of her wife. Instead, she holds it firmly. "Maura ..."  
The blonde swallows hard and looks into brown eyes.  
"Could you ... Would it be strange if ..."  
Maura leans her head down and silence the Italian with her lips.  
She doesn't know if that's what Jane was asking for but she has to swallow back a moan as the Italian squeezes her hand.  
She breaks grudgingly the kiss and keeps her eyes closed. Now, she also has to swallow a sob.  
She's been dreaming about this for a little while.  
"Be safe." Jane whispers.  
Maura smiles a little. "I love you, Jane."  
Jane doesn't say it back. Instead she squeezes Maura's hand again.  
She sighs heavily as the blonde leaves her alone and wheels back in her room.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi guys, thanks for all the reviews. The last chapter was a little bit difficult to write. Well, I wrote it out of experience because almost six years ago I was about to lose my right arm. I had an acute abscess in my breast and ate for a week just painkillers. I was too proud and too stubborn to tell my wife that I was in pain. I also went to work every day until I couldn't take it anymore. So I had to go to hospital at the weekend and got told that I was an emergency because this damn abscess was about to burst. Going to that hospital was my worst mistake cause it just got worse. I was a week in there and the pain got worse and wanders into my right arm, but I got discharged even though my doctor knew I had worse pain than before. I was one day home and then got sent straight to an specialty hospital. It turns out that I had another abscess and necrotic tissue in my right side. The doctors scraped out the wound and and I got operated again. I was for three month in a row in the hospital and got 5 times operated. Before the last time the doctor told me that I should prepare myself that I wake up and that my breast and my arm are may be amputated. I reached the point where I accepted that fact and didn't gave a damn anymore. I just wanted it to be over and to be with my family again, I wanted to be home. So I can kinda sympathize with people like that. I went through anger, depression and end up with acceptance. should mention that I am right handed but because of that I learned to use my left hand more. My advice, rather let take a look before it is too late.**

**However, enough with my story. I am glad that you liked the last chapter. Here's the next. I hope you like it as well. Enjoy. And I want to thank my beta who helped me with this chapter.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane comes into the bullpen and frowns deeply when she sees her pale brother talking to Frost._  
_She walks over to her desk and looks at Korsak. "I haven't found the time to talk to Frankie. How is he doing?"_  
_"He could be better," the older man replies and sips his coffee. "What did Maura say?"_  
_Jane rubs both of her hands. "The wire that you found at the crime scene was actually the murder weapon. Could you find out what Stella did for work?"_  
_He shakes his head and looks over the rim of his glasses. "Nothing stands out. I can't see why someone would kill her."_  
_"Beside the fact that she is ... was a cop." she replies._  
_Korsak frowns deeply and looks long at her. "Do you think someone is seeking revenge on cops?"_  
_She takes a deep breath and shrugs. "I don't know it yet. But I have a bad feeling, Korsak. Don't ask me why."_  
_Frankie comes up to his sister and looks at her, horrified. "Jane, is it true? Is Stella Banks dead?"_  
_Jane gets up from her chair and hugs him tightly, not minding that they are standing in the middle of the bullpen. All she cares about right now is her brother's well-being._  
_"I'm so sorry, Frankie," she croaks and looks at him._  
_He looks really awful. Stella's death really got to him more so than them._  
_Jane tries her best to comfort him by rubbing his arms. "Did the two of you stay in contact after you broke up?"_  
_Frankie closes his eyes and rubs his forehead with the palm of his right hand. "Uh... Yeah," he says, "yeah, we had a couple of beers every now and then."_  
_"Did she ever mention an eye-catching suspect?" she asks. Jane knows this isn't the standard procedure to get a statement from someone who knew the victim personally. She also knows that Cavanaugh will rip her head off once he knows about it. But she doesn't want to interview her own brother in a conference room._  
_Frankie frowns deeply and blinks a few times._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Korsak slams Jane's photo on the metal table in the interrogation room and glares at Vera Flynn. "That's your husband's latest victim," he growls.  
She stares at the photo and smiles proudly. "So what?"  
"'So what?'" Frost barks at her. Anger is mirrored in his eyes. "'So what?' is all you have to say?"  
"Yes, that's all I have to say," she says smirking.  
Korsak is the one who loses his temper and wants to leap over the table. He wants to strangle her until she dies. But Frost is faster and holds his friend back. Chairs are knocking over. It is uncharacteristically for the older man to lose his temper over a female suspect.  
"She has family," Korsak yells.  
"So do I!" Vera yells back. "And you," she pauses. "You destroyed my family."  
Frost pushes the raging Sergeant out of the room. "What the hell... **Korsak**!"

Korsak is enraged. "Fuck," he grunts and shakes his head. "Damn it. Listen, I'm sorry. But we are talking about Jane."  
Frost presses his lips together in a thin line. "I know. But she wouldn't ... she wouldn't be okay with that." Frost tells Korsak. He lowers his voice and repeats, "She wouldn't be okay with this."  
Korsak takes a deep breath and nods his head. He knows that the younger man is right. "I know. It's just..."  
Frost glances at the blonde observer. "You should go home and get some rest."  
Maura crosses her arms over her chest and shakes her head. She needs to know why those people did what they did, and the only person who can answer that question is sitting in the interrogation room right now. She can't blame Korsak for his flash of anger. If she were in his place, she probably would have gotten angry herself. She isn't a harmful or resentful person. But one thing she knows for sure is that she will never forgive the family who destroyed so many lives. "No, I'm fine. And I still have a lot of work to do."  
Frankie enters the observation room and frowns. "Maura, can I talk to you?"  
The blonde raises her eyebrows and leaves the room with her brother-in-law.  
Did Jane ask him to try to convince her once more?  
She sighs heavily. "Frankie, what is it? Did Jane tell you to talk to me again?"  
He shakes his head and raises his eyebrows. "No. She called Ma. She told her that she wants to see her today. Of course Ma is all in a tizzy. She wants me to come with her. I was hoping that you could come with us too, so Ma doesn't get her hopes too high."  
Maura frowns slightly. He is only asking for her help because Angela can become too euphoric.  
And now she regrets neglecting her work for months. "I'm sorry, Frankie, but I have so much work to catch up. I can accompany you any other time. Just ... try to tell Angela that Jane needs time, and that she shouldn't push her."  
He looks long at her and nods before he hugs her.  
She smiles and hugs him back. "I'm so glad that she wants to see your mother."  
He takes a deep breath. "Yeah, me too. And if Ma becomes too mushy, I'll cuff and gag her."  
Maura chuckles and releases him. "If it's necessary... do it."  
Frankie smirks broadly and starts walking again.  
She closes her eyes and nods to herself.  
That is a small step forward, isn't it?  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Jane is sitting in the common room and is frowning deeply. She asks herself if it was such a good idea to call her mother and tell her that she's finally ready to see her. She was so occupied in feeling sorry for herself that she'd forgotten her whole family. She just locked away her feelings so that she doesn't notice how lonely she really is. Maura's unannounced visit has stirred something deep inside her. Something she didn't know she was craving for. And what's more, she needs to know if Maura told her the truth. She knows that her wife is incapable of lying, but that she can bend the truth if it's really necessary. And seeing her mother would tell her everything she needs to know.  
Jane is staring at the elevator the entire time. She is aware that her mother can show up at any moment. Her heart is thudding against her ribcage like crazy and her hands are all sweaty. She takes a deep breath and wipes her palms on her black jeans. She frowns deeply and stares at her numb legs. She flinches as she hears the bell of the elevator and her heart skips a beat as her mother emerges from it. At the same time she is relieved as she sees Frankie following Angela.  
Angela beams broadly as she spots Jane and is waving her hand like crazy. Jane scoffs as Frankie rolls his eyes and forces Angela's hand back down. She smiles a little and wheels towards to the entrance. She can see that mother's smile falters for a second and her heart stops. Angela forces her eyes back up to Jane's and isn't sure what to do next. "Jane, you're looking great."  
Jane frowns skeptically. "Yeah? You don't look very delighted to see me like this, Ma."  
Angela blinks a couple of times and is frowning too. "Don't be ridiculous, Jane. It's just been a while since the last time I've seen you. Don't blame me for being a little bit overwhelmed."  
Jane looks at her and opens her arms inviting. "I'm sorry, Ma."  
Angela leans down and hugs her daughter tightly. It's nice but also a little bit odd at the same time. It's been ages since she had to lean down to hug her only daughter. She barely can remember. But it doesn't matter to her now. All that matters to her in this moment is that Jane is alive and she wants to see her.  
"Ma, you're squeezing me too tight," Jane chokes out.  
Angela breaks the hug and kisses Jane's cheek. "I'm sorry, Janie."  
Jane smiles softly. "It's all right." She glances at her brother. "Hey, Frankie," she pauses. "Tommy couldn't come?"  
He smiles a little. "No, he couldn't come. He has a job in Charlestown."  
Jane nods, understanding.  
Angela clasps her hands together. "So, when are you coming home?"  
Frankie rolls his eyes again. "Ma!"  
Angela is glaring at him. "What?"  
"We just arrived a few minutes ago. Can't you give her at least half an hour?"  
"It's okay, Frankie," Jane says with a small smile, "I'm a big girl." She takes a deep breath. "In a couple of weeks when the doctors clear me, I can come back home. Maura and I are trying it for thirty days, and if it doesn't work out, I'm moving into a residential home for the handicapped."  
"Jane..." Angela starts to protest.  
"Ma!" Frankie cuts her off and scowls. "It's Jane's and Maura's business, not ours."  
"Maura knows about it, Ma." Jane says and takes Angela's hand in her own. "It was her idea. I mean, our house isn't very friendly to disabled people like me. And I'm not the same person anymore, Ma."  
Angela takes a deep breath and let the words of her daughter sink in. "But you really have to try it, Jane."  
"I'll try my best." Jane replies with a small smile.  
"That's not enough," Angela scolds her daughter  
"For heaven's sake, Ma!" Frankie groans.  
Jane lowers her eyes and swallows hard. She asks herself if her mother's visit was the best idea she ever had since the incident that cost Jane her ability to walk. She wheels back a little to put some distance between her mother and herself.  
Frankie sees the gesture and raises his eyebrows. He knows he should intervene. "Could we talk about something else?"  
Angela looks questioningly at her son. "Why?"  
"Because it is inappropriate right now." he growls low.  
Angela rolls her eyes and sighs. "Fine. What are you doing in your spare time, Jane? Are you playing some sports?"  
Jane's jaw drops to the floor and she furrows her eyebrows.  
Frankie sighs and shakes his head.  
"Really?" Jane asks. "Sports?"  
"What?" Angela asks again, not understanding what she did wrong.  
Jane glances at her brother and they both start to chuckle.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Maura is about to put on her leather coat when her phone starts to ring on her desk. She frowns at the device, hating the nights when she is on call. All she wants to do now is go home and take a hot bath.  
She sighs and walks to her desk. She doesn't bother to check the caller ID. "Isles." she says.  
"Is my mother driving you crazy too?" the caller asks.  
Maura raises her eyebrows and takes her purse into her hand. This isn't a usual greeting. "Excuse me?"  
"Ma was here and told me that I have to try my very best so our marriage works out, and she asked if I play sports in my spare time," Jane says.  
"Now I know from whom you get your lack of empathy."  
Jane is quiet for a second. "Funny."  
The blonde can hear the smile in the voice and smiles to herself as she switches off the lights in her office. "Did you enjoy her visit, Jane?"  
Jane sighs heavily. "Yeah, I especially enjoy when my mother drops the ball on me."  
"I'm sure she didn't mean to."  
"You know her. She never does."  
"Yes, I do know."  
"Are you at home?"  
"I'm leaving my office right now." Maura answers and locks the door.  
Jane takes a moment. "I hope you're also this careful with the front door of our house."  
_Our house_. Maura's heart skips a beat. A smile spread across her face. "Are you only calling to make sure that I am safe?"

"Maybe." Jane replies. "But maybe I missed your voice."  
Maura raises a hand to say goodbye to one of the lab techs. "I missed..." She pauses for a moment before continuing, "your voice too, Jane."  
The Italian is silent again. "Frankie told me Korsak freaked out as he and Frost interviewed Vera Flynn."  
Maura sighs and nods to herself. "Yes, he did, understandably. If he wouldn't have ... freaked out, I'm sure that I would have."  
"I hope you guys are aware of the fact that it won't change anything," Jane says cynically. "It doesn't matter anymore what she has to say. The victims are dead and I'm paralyzed."  
The blonde clenches her teeth and walks towards her Toyota. "We are aware of the fact, Jane, we really are. But we want to understand why they did what they did. And why Vera Flynn was helping her husband."  
"Because she was enthralled by him." the Italian almost growls. "Because they are sick. That's why they did all those things."  
Maura nods to herself again. "Yes, we know that, Jane. But you have to understand that we want answers too. We want explanations."  
Jane sighs heavily. "I know. I would like to have some more explanations too." She hesitates before speaking again. "What... what are you wearing, Maura?"  
Maura is a little bit shocked by the drastic change of subject and laughs. "What?"  
"Are you getting deaf?" the other woman chuckles. "Hey, we could live together in the residential home; you being hard of hearing and me not being able to walk. We'd be a great couple."  
Maura is grinning broadly. "I heard you very clearly," she laughs. "Are you trying to seduce me over the phone, Jane Rizzoli?" Jane doesn't respond. Maura closes her eyes, cursing herself and her hormones for saying that out loud.  
"Am I not allowed to ask my wife what she's wearing right now?" Jane asks playfully.  
Maura licks her lips and takes a deep breath. "Of course you are. But you only do that when I'm out of town and when you are ..." she says but trails off.  
"Needy?" Jane asks, finishing Maura's sentence.  
The blonde closes her eyes. Her skin starts to tingle. She doesn't know what happened to her wife over the day and she doesn't want to push her luck too much. "Yes." she whispers.  
Jane is quiet again. "Maybe I need to feel your skin against mine right now."  
Maura inhales shakily through her mouth. "Please don't start things we can't finish right now."  
"I'm sorry," the Italian says all of a sudden. "I must gross you out."  
Maura shakes her head and a tear runs down her cheek. "No, you don't gross me out. It's just ... If you start something like that now, I'm not sure I can hold back. And I don't want to push you because ..." she closes her eyes and bite back a moan as imagines of Jane hovering over her are flashing through her mind. "I don't want to scare you. I don't want to force you."  
Jane needs a moment. "Oh."  
Maura is smiling a little. "But I am happy that you are feeling a little more comfortable now, Jane."  
"I feel like a dirty minded freak." the Italian replies.  
Maura has to laugh heartily. This is the woman she loves. "You are sometimes."  
Jane is chuckling too. "It was good to see you, though. I mean yesterday. It made me realize what I've been missing over the months. And I am only saying this because I had a good day."  
"Don't the good days override the bad ones?" Maura asks and starts the engine of her car.  
Jane sighs heavily. "Currently, yes. Let's see how it'll be tomorrow."  
Maura buckles her seatbelt. "You are on a very good path, Jane."  
"Thank you," Jane mumbles.  
Maura frowns. "What for?"  
The Italian takes a moment. "For being patient with me."  
Maura smiles broadly as if the Italian could see her. "I will give you all the time you need."  
Jane laughs warm-hearted. "I'm hanging up now."  
_Please don't_ Maura yells in her head. "Have a nice evening."

Jane laughs briefly. "I love you."  
Maura hesitates for a moment. Her wife probably took her mood elevator. But she can't help herself and waited for far too long to hear those words. "I love you too, Jane."  
Jane is quiet for a moment. It seems like she hasn't expect to get a response. She takes a deep breath. "Night, Maura."  
"Good night, Jane," the blonde replies and hangs up.  
She smiles to herself and heads home.


	11. Chapter 11

**So, as promised. This is the revised version of the chapter. And thanks to my beta.**

**Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Korsak pours himself a cup of coffee and furrows his eyebrows. "This doesn't seem to be a random murder. Everything seems to be planned; the wire, the place, the time, everything."_  
_Jane's running her hands over her face and groans. "I'd already had the same thought. And you know what's odd?"_  
_He's thrusting his chin at her. "What?"_  
_She gets up to her feet and points at the pictures of Ryan and Vera Flynn, which are pinned to the glass board. "This couple didn't have a dog. Did you see one?"_  
_Korsak stares at her thoughtfully and shakes his head. "I was thinking the dog perhaps could be in the car."_  
_"Yeah, but would you be so calm and bring the dog back to your car before you called 911?"_  
_He's frowning deeply. "No, even I would call 911 in the first place. Do you think that they have something to hide?"_  
_She walks back to her chair and sits down again. "I don't know. But something seems to be off. Are you interested in a little trip?"_  
_He places his cup on his desk and shrugs. "Sure."_  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Frankie is sitting in the conference room and looks through the notes of Stella Banks. He knew that she made a hell lot notes because of her detective exam, but he wasn't aware that she made notes about everything._  
_"She was a pedant." Frost sighs and closes a black notebook. "Stella wrote down everything. I wouldn't mind when she would have marked her books." He holds up the book. "Now I know how big your dick is and what you'd like to do in bed."_  
_Frankie's eyes snaps up to Frost's and blushes. "Shut up and focus."_  
_Frost is smirking but he presses his lips together. "She kept diaries about everything, her body index, what she ate, with whom she worked, when she had BM. What it weighted." He scowled. "Really? You slept with that woman?"_  
_Frankie rolls his eyes. "I have something interesting here. Stella wrote it down when a woman was sexual abused."_  
_Frost frowns deeply. "Did she write down the name of the offender?"_  
_"No," Frankie sighs, "it's all so cryptic."_  
_Frost furls his eyebrows. "That doesn't seem typical for her. Let me see." Frankie shrugs and hands him the notepad. Frost looks through the notes. "Damn it. There are only initials. Who the hell is K.F. and P.W? But do you see that? These initials reappear several times."_  
_"What was the cause for the operation?" Frankie asks._  
_Frost's eyes snap up to find Frankie's. "Rape," he answers._  
_He thinks quickly and gets up to his feet._  
_Frankie does the same and follows the other man. "Where are you going?"_  
_"If Stella was called to a rape, then there has to be a police report. I'm checking to see if I can find it. We need those god damn names."_  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane is getting out of her car and blinks a few times. It's a sunny day, but she isn't here to enjoy the sun. Korsak joins her and thrusts his chin toward a neat detached house. "Can you imagine living in the suburbs?"_  
_She glances questioningly at him. "Why are you asking me that?"_  
_He shrugs and starts walking. "I was thinking about to buy me a house in the suburbs when I retire."_  
_Jane scoffs and furrows her eyebrows. "What's wrong with the house you already live in?"_  
_"I can sell it," he replies._  
_She laughs, amused, and knocks at the wooden front door. "Do you think you'd be happy in the suburb?"_  
_He pulls the corners of his mouth downward. "Why wouldn't I be? I'm not getting any younger."_  
_"Yeah, you're older than dirt," she says with a smile._  
_They both sober immediately as soon as the front door of the house opens. A tall man with graying blond hair and light green eyes looks questioningly at them. "Can I help you?"_  
_Jane shoves her jacket to the side to reveal her badge. "Mr. Flynn?"_  
_He nods. "Yes."_  
_She points at herself. "I'm Detective Rizzoli." she points to Korsak. "This is my partner Sergeant Korsak. We're investigating the murder of Officer Stella Banks, the woman you found at the warehouse. We would like to ask you a couple more questions."_  
_He crosses his arms over his chest. "I already told the officer everything I know."_  
_"It's just trifles to complete our report, Sir," Korsak jumps in with._  
_"May we come in?" Jane asks in a friendly manner._  
_Flynn hesitates, but then he steps aside. "All right, come in."_  
_Jane glances at Korsak and raises a skeptical eyebrow before they enter the house. Korsak shrugs discreetly and follows her. The house itself is furnished in a country style. They enter the living room where a grey haired woman is sitting on the couch. Flynn walks to her as she gets up to her feet. "Vera, these people are Detectives from Boston Homicide. They are here to ask us a few questions about the woman that we found," he glances at the two Detectives. "This is my wife Vera."_  
_Jane smiles at the older woman and nods once._  
_Vera Flynn frowns deeply. "Oh. Can I offer you something to drink like coffee, tea, or water?"_  
_Jane shakes her head. "No, thank you."_  
_Vera points at the couch. "Please, have a seat."_  
_The Detectives do as they're told and sit down._  
_Korsak takes his notepad out of the inside pocket of his jacket. "Why were you both around in this area exactly?"_  
_Vera hesitate for a second and looks at her husband. "Um ... We were there to walk our dog."_  
_Jane furrows her eyebrows. "Why in the industrial area? I mean, this here is a nice neighborhood."_  
_"Charlie is a Great Dane," Ryan answers. "Some people get scared when they see him."_  
_Korsak furls his eyebrows. "It was 3:30 in the night as you called 911. There aren't many people out on the street at that time."_  
_Vera looks at her husband. "Well, Charlie is a barker. Ryan and I already got into trouble with our neighbors because of that. So we decided to walk our dog in areas where people don't feel bothered."_  
_"So, it was sheer coincidence that you were near the warehouse?" Jane asks and frowns a little._  
_Ryan takes a deep breath and nods. "Yes, but that's what we already told that other officer."_  
_"We didn't see the dog," Jane states._  
_Ryan is glaring at her. "I brought Charlie to the car while my wife called 911. Why is our dog so important to your investigation?"_  
_"We only want to be thorough, sir," Korsak replies. "Did you know the victim?"_  
_Vera purses her lips and shakes her head. "No, we've never seen her before."_  
_Jane spots a framed picture of a young man on the mantel. He is the split image of Ryan. She nods in the direction of the picture. "Is that your son?"_  
_Vera is starting to beam. "Yes, that's our son Kevin. The picture was taken on his graduation day."_  
_"We are so proud of him," Ryan adds. "He's the first Flynn who to study law. Most of us studied Economics."_  
_Jane raises her eyebrows and looks at Korsak. He furls slightly his eyebrows. She gets up to her feet. "All right, thank you for your time."_  
_Korsak puts his notepad back in the inside pocket and follows the Italian. "What do you think?" he asks after they left the house._  
_Jane doesn't look at him. "I think they are hiding something. I didn't see a dog or a feeding dish. I mean, the first thing Jo's doing when a visitor enters our house is welcoming them. No matter if it's the pizza boy or my mother."_  
_"Yeah, that's what my dogs do, too," Korsak says as he walks to the driver's side of the car. "Do you think we should keep an eye on the Flynn's?"_  
_"Definitely," Jane says and opens the passenger's door. "But I also want to check the pride of the family."_  
_"Then let's get back to the precinct."_  
_Jane nods and gets into the unmarked car._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Korsak enters the rehab center with a brown paper bag in his hand. He knows that his friend always complains about the food in this institution.  
She has already threatened with a hunger strike if she doesn't get a greasy burger. So, every time he visits her, he brings some unhealthy food with him.  
He stops at her closed room door and knocks before he walks into the room.  
Jane is lying on her bed watching the TV. She glances at him and turns off the electronic device. "Hey." she greets him.  
He places the bag on the table and put off his jacket. "Hi. I brought you chili cheese fries from the Dirty Robber."  
"Oh God, you are my lifesaver, Vince," she says happily but then she frowns. "Um ... could you ..."  
He rolls his eyes and hands her the bag. "My bad. How are you doing, Jane?"  
She nods and takes a deep breath. "I'm on a good route. Well, that's what my doctors are saying."  
"And how are **you** doing?" he asks again.

She's quiet for a moment. "I could be better. But I think I'm on a good path. I'm going to go home."  
He places his elbows on his knees and leans forward. "I talked to Cavanaugh."  
Jane closes her eyes. "Korsak..."  
"He says that he can offer you a position as a police counselor. You would still earn the same salary like you've earned on your active duty."  
She's clenching her teeth. "Korsak ..."  
"You don't have to make this decision tonight. He'll you all the time you need."  
"Vince!" Jane almost shouts and his eyes snap up to hers. "Stop right now, would you? None of this is your fault, and I'm not even sure if I'll return to the BPD. I'm not sure if I'm able to see you catching the bad guys while I have to sit on a crappy desk. I hope you can understand that."  
Korsak frowns deeply and nods. "Yeah, I can understand that." he leans back in his chair. "So, you're going home?"  
"Yeah, but it's just a test run," she answers and looks at him. "If it doesn't work out, I'll move into a residential home."  
"And? What would you prefer?"  
She sighs heavily. "I really don't know. On one hand I really want to be back at home, but on the other hand I have no idea what Maura is excepting from me. Is she expecting that we sleep in the same bed? Am I ready to sleep in the same bed with her? Those are the questions that are running through my head."  
Korsak takes a deep breath. "I hope you know that Maura won't ask for things that you are not willing to give. She won't push you."  
She frowns and stares ahead. "I know that, yeah. But I can't help those thoughts."  
Korsak nods slowly. "Can I ask you a question?"  
"Depends," Jane replies.  
He's smiling a little but it disappears immediately as soon as their eyes meet. "Why did you give your wedding band back to her?"  
Jane is quiet for a few seconds, but then she opens the drawer of her nightstand and takes a large brown envelope out. She hands him the envelope and sighs. "You'll find the answer in here."  
Korsak frowns and opens the envelope. He takes the documents out of it and he opens surprised his mouth.  
He drags his eyes to Jane. "You asked for divorce papers?"  
She furrows her eyebrows. "Yeah, two weeks after I found out I was paralyzed. I wanted to send them to Maura, but instead I sent her my wedding band. I hoped she would get the hint, but I should have known better."  
Korsak glance long at her, "Does Maura know about it?"  
Jane licks her lips and shakes her head. "No. And she doesn't need to know it. I mean, I was so angry and hated everyone... Especially me and Flynn. I didn't want to put a strain on her. You know, I had to cope with the fact that I won't be able to use my own legs ever again. I mean, I used these legs for my entire life and now I'm not able to move a single toe? Do you know what that feels like? Can you imagine how it feels when you're such a diagnosis?"  
Korsak presses his lips to a thin line together and shakes his head. "No, I can't imagine that."  
"It's like you can't wake up from your worst nightmare. It feels like..." She pauses to search for the right explanation. "Like your whole body is betraying you. It worked for over thirty years and then it only allows you to move your upper body."  
"I'm so sorry, Jane," Korsak whispers.  
Jane furls her eyebrows angrily. "Stop apologizing, Korsak. You didn't shoot me," she growls and skids to the edge of the bed.  
Korsak furls his eyebrows. "What are you doing?"  
She heaves herself into her wheelchair. "I'm going to use the bathroom," she groans and sits down, "**unless** you want to watch how I insert a catheter."  
Korsak holds his hands up and lower his eyes. "I don't need to, thanks."

Korsak holds his hands up and lower his eyes. "I don't need to, thanks."  
Jane is chuckling and wheels to the bathroom.  
Korsak sighs and closes his eyes.  
If Ryan Flynn wasn't dead already, he would've killed him for doing that to his good friend ... his really close friend. He knows that this was similar to the first encounter with Charles Hoyt. They went to the god damned warehouse all by themselves, but this time the circumstances were different.  
They didn't go to the warehouse because of their egos. They went there all by themselves to keep a close friend safe and alive. He questioned her plan only for a couple of seconds before he followed her. He didn't know that Jane was willing to change places with the victim, he didn't know that Jane offer to be killed instead of her friend.  
If he would have known, he would have kept her from doing so because he knows that Jane was willing to give her own life to save an innocent one. That she had forgotten that Maura was pregnant as she did what she did.  
But he also knows that Jane would never admit it, and that's why he doesn't bring it up.  
His head swirls to the bathroom door as soon as it opens and he blushes a little.  
Jane smiles confused. "What is it?"  
He clears his throat. "Can I ask you another question?"  
She pulls the corners of her mouth downward. "Sure. As long as you don't ask how it feels when I stretch my legs."  
He hesitates for a second. "How can you know that you have to...?"  
"Pee or poop?" she says as he trails off.  
The older man takes a deep breath and nods.  
Jane wheels over to the table and sighs. "I have a schedule. I know how much I drank or how much I ate, so I can size up when I have to use the bathroom."  
He furrows his eyebrows. "But you can't feel it anymore?"  
She raises briefly her eyebrows and shakes her head. "Nope. But do you know what the doctors are saying?"  
"No."  
"That it would be a lot easier to come to terms with the paraplegia as soon as someone confronts me with it."  
"Did it help?" he asks.  
"It's better than tiptoeing around me." she answers chuckling.  
He smiles and takes a deep breath. This is the Jane he knows.  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Maura frowns a little as she looks down at herself, realizing she couldn't fasten the button of her fabric pants. She never had problems with her tailored clothes before. She runs her hand over the little bump and takes a deep breath. She almost forgot she is pregnant. She sighs and shakes her head, glancing at Jane's bedside. She almost can hear Jane teasing her about that. She runs both of her hands the bump and can't help the smile. "You will love your Mama, and she will love you. I know that, baby." She closes her eyes and can almost feel Jane's hands on her belly. Oh, how she wished Jane would place a hand on her belly to feel what she's feeling.


	12. Chapter 12

**So, finally I have a new update for this story, and sorry for the delay. I hope you guys will like it. Of course you are as always welcome to tell me what you think. And a special thanks to my Beta. Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura's taking a deep breath and knocks on the closed room door before she carefully enters. She pauses as her wife wheels out of the bathroom. "Hi," she simply says.  
Jane smiles a little. "Hey."  
"I'm glad that I… didn't interrupt you."  
Jane has to swallow hard and rolls over to the table at the window. She knows that the blonde knows what she has to do to relieve herself with her type of injury.  
Well, this was more awkward than Korsak asking her about this.  
She furls her eyebrows and eyes Maura for a second. "Since when do you wear clothes from years ago?"  
Maura looks down at herself and has to shrug. "Well, since I'm too busy to buy maternity clothes."  
Jane has to smile and wheels over to her wife. "Maternity clothes. I still can't believe that it worked out the first time. How are you and the baby doing?"  
Maura is biting her bottom lip, hiding her smile. Since the incident, they only mentioned the unborn child couple of times, and never in a good context. "We are good."  
Jane looks up at Maura and frowns. "Can I?"  
Maura takes the Italian's hand in her own and places it on her baby bump. She closes her eyes and is enjoying the moment for a second. She has to fight the urge to back away as Jane kisses her belly. She looks down at herself and frowns slightly. She runs her hands through Jane's hair and smiles as Jane doesn't flinch.  
Jane looks up at the blonde and furrows her eyebrows. "I would like to kiss you, Maura."  
Maura suddenly is frowning again; she knows that her wife doesn't mean it sexually, but a chill runs down her spine regardless. She leans her head down and looks long into brown eyes. "I would never mind that."  
Jane smiles a little, but hesitates before she closes the last distance. At first, it's an innocent kiss, but it soon turns hungry and needy. Jane breaks the kiss and leans her forehead against her wife's. She hooks her index finger in Maura's necklace and looks at the blonde. "I really would like to have my wedding band back."  
Maura doesn't hesitate and unclasps the necklace, furrowing her eyebrows. "I'm really happy you didn't sign the divorce papers, Jane."  
Jane frowns deeply. "Did Korsak ..."  
"He didn't say a word," Maura interrupts her and takes a deep breath. "I might have been naïve at some point, but I'm not stupid, Jane. I got the message the morning from the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital on where your wedding band was."  
"But you didn't give up on me," the Italian states.  
"I would never give up on you," Maura replies.  
"You assert that you've changed."  
"I have changed, Jane."  
Jane furrows her eyebrows. "If that's really true, then I can't see those changes because you are still the same kind-hearted woman who never loses her patience."  
Maura has to smile a little. "Oh, I already have lost my patience a couple of times when you weren't talking to me. And I think I was scaring my employees."  
"Why?" Jane asks skeptically. "Did you threaten to give them extra time?"  
"Kind of," the blonde simply replies.  
Jane's eyebrows shoot up. "You didn't, did you?"  
Maura's rolling her eyes and sits down on the chair next to her wife. "I was stressed because you didn't want to see or talk to me, and I had an appointment with my gynecologists. I was running late as Susie came into my office and told me that our intern sneezed in a petri dish and contaminated the sample. I think that day I yelled at everyone, including Susie."  
Jane grunts amused. "What happened to the poor trainee?"  
"I discharged him and he told his uncle."  
Jane shrugs. "So?"  
"He's the Governor's nephew," the blonde answers.  
"Oh boy," the Italian says as she laughs. "I'm missing some things, huh?"  
Maura chuckles, "Yes. Yes, you definitely are." She turns serious again. "Lieutenant Cavanaugh told me about his job offer for you. Are you considering it?"  
The Italian takes a deep breath and raises her eyebrows. "I don't know, Maura. It already cost me a hell of a lot of effort to act civilized around other people. I don't know if I could handle being in BPD where everyone's staring at me. I… I need time to think about. But I'm grateful that he offered me that job."  
Maura nods slowly and agreeing with a small smile. "I can understand that. No one is pushing you. You take all the time you need to make a decision, Jane. There's no need to hurry."  
Jane looks at her with furrowed eyebrows. She didn't think there was anyone on earth that was more kind-hearted than Mother Teresa, but she slowly starts to believe she has done exactly that; she's happily married to her. "Thank you," she whispers.  
Maura smiles softly and wants to say something as someone knocks on the door. The two women turn their heads simultaneously to the door. Angela enters the room with a broad smile. "Sorry for being late, but the home improvers took their time."  
Jane licks her lips and looks confused at her wife. "Contractors?"  
"We talked about the arrangements, Jane," the blonde replies.  
Jane rolls her eyes and takes a deep breath. "Hey, Ma, how are you doing?"  
Angela kisses her daughter's cheek with a smile and Jane makes an annoyed face, though in good manners. "Good, thank you, honey. And how are you?"  
Jane shrugs and looks with a smile at Maura. "Better."  
"So," Angela says emphatically, "the two of you wanted to talk to me? What happened? Don't tell me that you're really getting divorced. I can't take another broken marriage."  
Jane furls her eyebrows and looks at Maura. She points at Maura and then at herself. "Um ... Ma, it would be our broken marriage," she says with an annoyed snort. "Anyway, no, we're not getting a divorce. Maura and I have to tell you something else. Uh ... well ... Maura ..." she pauses with a frown. "She's kinda ..."  
"I'm pregnant," Maura finishes her wife's sentence as the Italian started to ramble and Angela's jaw hit the floor.  
Jane's pointing again at the blonde. "Yep, that's exactly what we wanted to tell ya."  
"You knew and didn't tell me a word?" Angela's squealing.  
The Italian winces. "Yeah, Maura told it me the day after Stella Banks died."  
"So it's yours?"  
"Well, juridical I first have to fill a couple of papers ... but ... Yeah, technically the baby is Maura's and mine."  
Angela is leaping forward hugs her daughter tightly. "Oh, my God! Finally the two of you came to your senses and start a family."  
"I can't breathe, Ma," Jane chokes out.  
Angela releases Jane again and focuses on her daughter-in-law, peppering Maura's face with kisses. "Why didn't you tell me earlier, Maura?"  
Maura chuckles and is unable to answer the question.  
"Well, we were kinda busy with solving cop killings," Jane jumps in and points at herself. "And then this happened."  
Angela looks down at Maura, sighing. "When did you find out you were pregnant?"  
Maura takes a deep breath. "Fifteen weeks ago."  
"Already?" Jane asks, surprised.  
Angela's rolling her eyes and huffs.  
Maura chuckles amused. "Yes, already."  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Korsak and Jane enter the B.R.I.C area and are looking at the big screen at the wall._  
_"What are you looking at?" Jane asks and furrows her eyebrows._  
_Frost looks up from his screen and sighs heavily. "Frankie and I went through Stella's notes. We found out that she was recently called to rape cases, but she just wrote down the initials of her suspects. Or that's what we're thinking. So, I'm checking all of her police reports and trying to find out the names of the perp."_  
_He frowns and leans back in his chair. "Damn it."_  
_Jane's eyes are snapping to him. "What?"_  
_Korsak nods to the big screen. "The names of the offenders are unknown."_  
_Frost runs a hand over his mouth and takes a deep breath. "And this one is the last report of Stella. I was hoping that she would've mentioned a name."_  
_"What are the initials that she has written down?" Jane asks._  
_Frost opens his notepad and frowns. "Um ... K. F and P. W." he answers._  
_Jane opens her mouth slightly and looks questioningly at Korsak. "Frost, can you run Kevin Flynn for me?" Frost furls his eyebrows and has an expression as if to ask her if she's kidding, but he starts to type on his keyboard. Jane crosses her arms over her chest. Kevin Flynn's whole life pops up on the screen on the wall. "He's a great student," she states._  
_"And he was never a real suspect for the police," Korsak replies. "But he was always near the crime scenes."_  
_Jane looks long at the older man. "Do you think that's a coincidence?"_  
_"You know what I'm thinking about coincidences. They don't exist."_  
_Frost looks back and forth between Jane and Korsak. "You think that K. F stands for Kevin Flynn?"_  
_Jane takes a deep breath. "Well, I think that we should have a little chat with him, because I don't believe in coincidences either."_  
_Korsak pats the younger man's arm. "Come on, Frost. Let's bring Kevin Flynn in."_  
_Frost gets up and grabs his jacket from the back of his chair._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane is sitting at the metal table and eyes the young man across the table skeptically._  
_He really does look like a younger version of his father._  
_She exhaled slowly through her nose and pushes the photo of Stella Banks over the table. "Do you recognize her?"_  
_Kevin Flynn eyes the photo with his ice blue eyes and frowns. "No. Should I?"_  
_"Well, it's interesting because she wrote down your name in connection to a couple of rapes," Korsak says and looks over the rim of his reading glasses._  
_Kevin snorts amused. "Rapes? I have no idea what the hell you're talking about. And since when is the Homicide department investigating rapes?"_  
_"This woman is dead," Jane says emphatically and taps with her index finger on Stella Banks' picture. A deep frown is crawling up on her forehead. "She was killed shortly after another rape took place and the rapes all had the same MO," she points at him. "And do you know what's funny? Your name keeps reappearing in her notes. This fact is running like a golden threat through your current CV. Don't you think, Kev?"_  
_"It's Kevin," he replies and glares at her. "And I didn't rape anyone. What you're doing is police harassment."_  
_Oh, sure it is, but Jane is keeping a straight face. "Police harassment? That's a strong allegation. Why are you saying that?"_  
_He's sighing heavily. "Maybe because I had to talk to a couple off police officers, because a bi—" he pauses as Korsak and Jane are raising their eyebrows. "A raped woman mentioned my name to an officer."_  
_"Maybe she mentioned it in front of Officer Stella Banks?" Korsak asks._  
_Kevin shrugs detached. "I don't remember the name of the officer," he eyes her with a smirk. "But I'm sure that I will remember your name, Detective."_  
_"Hey!" Korsak growls at him._  
_Jane is anything but impressed or scared. "You know, to me it sounds like you're pretty familiar with the police work."_  
_Korsak nods agreeing. "Mmm hmm."_  
_Kevin is rolling his eyes. "Every time the initials K.F appear in a statement, a crazy chick shows up at my apartment because she's thinking that she'll get famous by bringing me down. It seems like your female employees are obsessed with me."_  
_Jane furls her eyebrows. "Oh, believe me, I don't need such prestige. Boston already knows who I am. Are you talking about Stella Banks?"_  
_He shakes his head and furrows his eyebrows. "No, the last time was a little weird because it was a blond dude, but I don't know what his name was."_  
_Korsak sighs heavily and closes his notepad._  
_Jane gets up from her chair and suppresses a growl._  
_"Can I go now?" Kevin asks and gets up as well._  
_Jane is clenching her teeth and looks at Korsak. "Yeah, you're free to go."_  
_Kevin smiles and let his eyes roam over her body. "You know if you have any more questions, you know where you can find me."_  
_Jane resists the urge to throw up and is holding the door open. "Yeah, I'm sure we'll come back to that."_  
_Kevin smirks and leaves the room._  
_Korsak scoffs and looks at the Italian. "What are you thinking?"_  
_Jane looks after the younger man and furls her eyebrow as she crosses her arms over her chest. "I think that he's an asshole and he's creeping me the hell out. Just like his father."_  
_Korsak nods slowly his head and sighs._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"What are you thinking about?" Maura's asking.  
Jane's blinking a couple of times as she's coming back to the present. She hasn't realized that she absent-mindedly wheeled over to the window. "I just ... We had him and we turned Kevin loose. If we would have arrested him, people wouldn't have to die and I wouldn't ..."  
"No ifs, ands, or buts," Maura cuts her off and closes briefly her eyes. "We can't change the past; we have no influence on the present or the future. We only can make the best out of the current situation."  
Jane takes a deep breath. "Shouldn't you be at work by now?"  
"Don't shut me out now, Jane," Maura replies seriously. "And no, I've taken the day off. I want to spend a whole day with you. We have to catch up. And why are you suddenly so down again? I mean, you were happy to see your mom once again."  
"You always have to call a spade a spade, don't you?" Jane almost growls.  
Maura sighs heavily. "If it gets you to share your thoughts, then yes, I have to because if I don't, you'd shut me out again."  
"God," Jane sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "I hate that you know me so well."  
Maura's smiling a little. "Well, that's my job. What's on your mind?"  
Jane shakes her head and takes a deep breath. "We had those men in custody but we failed miserably, Maura. We ... I failed. So many lives are ruined, included mine ... our lives. The Flynn men got what they wanted; they changed everybody's lives. They got everybody's attention. What about the victims' families? What about our life?" Maura's licking her lips and raises her eyebrows briefly. "I know," Jane says and throws her hands up. "I know. I can't change the outcome anyway. I'm still paralyzed and the Flynn boys are still dead. But I'm still asking myself why. I'm asking myself why I was so damn stupid and didn't wear my freaking vest that day. Why I couldn't think about anything else but saving ... I couldn't ..." she pauses and furrows her eyebrows. "The only thing I could think of was to solve this god damn case. I didn't think of you ... or our baby. Even though I knew you were pregnant. I ... The whole thing was in my hands and I made the wrong decision. I made a decision that put me in this wheelchair."  
Maura nods slowly and swallows hard. "But you saved her life."  
"And sacrificed my own as a result," Jane replies and looks with big and scared eyes at the blonde. "Would I sound selfish when I tell you that I wish that I would've made a different decision? Would it make me a bad person?"  
Maura presses her lips together and swallows a sob that is threatening to escape her throat. If she were to be honest with herself, she'd wished this herself sometimes. She starts to shake her head. "No," she whispers. "No, it wouldn't make you a selfish or bad person, Jane."  
Jane is scrutinizing her wife and can see that Maura means what she says. She takes a deep breath and runs a hand over her face. She isn't sure if Maura is still able to look her in the eye when she would have acted differently. When she would have put her life before Maura's friend. She isn't sure if she would be able to look in her own eyes.  
She looks at Maura and takes her hand in her own, kissing it. "Maura, I don't know what you are hoping for when I come back home. I mean, I hope that I can't ... That we can't have ... Um ..."  
"Have sexual intercourse?" the blonde finishes as her wife trails off.  
Jane is turning up her nose and groans. "Jesus, even in my new physical condition it still sounds so ..." she inhales deeply. "But yeah," she continues, "that we can't have sex. I mean, I'm not there yet and I don't know how long it will take until I am ready for that. I mean, you're an attractive woman. You could go and find a handsome man or woman who can satisfy your sexual needs."  
Maura is sighing heavily and squeezes the Italian's hand gently. "You make me sound like I'm addicted to sex. Anyway, I won't deny it, Jane, some days it'll be hard for me, but I won't push you. I will give you all the time you need. You also can decide if you want to sleep in the main bedroom or in the guest room. We go at your pace. I don't need to have sex to be happy, but I do need you. Everything else is secondary."  
Jane is closing her eyes and she lowers her head. Comfortable warmth starts spreading through her chest and the cold is starting to leave her heart. Suddenly she starts shaking in the wheelchair and a sob escapes her throat.  
Maura freezes for a second because she isn't quite sure what she should do. That's why she doesn't do anything. She knows that the Italian normally isn't that kind of person who shows her feeling or asks for help, but she also knows that Jane does need her support right now. That's why she leans forward and leans her forehead against the side of Jane's head, which makes Jane sob even harder.  
"Who am I now, Maura?" Jane chokes out as thick tears stream down her cheeks. "Is this who I really am? Broken? This whole thing feels so much worse than all the other things we've been gone through; this is even worse than Hoyt. Flynn destroyed me. Because of Ryan Flynn I am a wreck, Maura."  
"He didn't destroy you, Jane," Maura whispers and a tear runs down her cheek. "He didn't break you. You are still the same person that you were before."  
"Yeah?" Jane asks between sobs and chuckles sarcastically, "now I have a reason why you really have to serve me."  
Maura smiles but slaps Jane's arm. "You still have to play a different card."  
Jane chuckles and wipes her tears off her cheek. "Damn it," she mumbles and purse her lips.  
Maura starts to laugh and kisses the Italian's cheek.


	13. Note

_**I** **AM ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED!**_

**I was sitting at home in front of my TV to watch the soccer match between France and Germany like thousands of others, and I jumped as I heard the two explosions live in TV, but I didn't thought much of it until the sports commentator said that there were several attacks and that there were innocent people hurt and killed. Of course the sports event wasn't important to me anymore. I knew that terrorism is close to Europe, but it was the first time that I realized how real and how close terrorism is to my home country.**

**But after all, all my thoughts and prayers are with the families and France. I am really out of words.**

**But this cowardly attack reminds me once more that we have to stand close and that we are only strong when we stand close together, and that we are one, because those terrorist didn't only attack France. They attacked us all.**

**Again, all my thoughts and prayers are with all Parisian and citizens of France.**

**Typhoon73.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey guys, finally I have a real update for A Single Decision, I hope you're gonna like it. And thank you for reading and sticking with me. Enjoy this new chapter.**

**T73**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane sighs heavily when she's feeling that her wife is sitting up._  
_She's asking herself why on earth Maura is awake in the middle of the night._  
_She groans when she hears the vibrating sound of her own phone that lies on her nightstand._  
_She groans once again when the beside lamp gets switched on._  
_The Italian cracks her eyes open and runs an hand over the bare back of the ME instead of accepting the call._  
_Maura glance with a frown over her shoulder and nods in the direction of Jane's phone._  
_Jane furls her eyebrows and takes the device in her hand. She takes a deep breath and takes the call._  
_She listen attentively and a deep frown crawls upon her forehead before she ends the call again._  
_She sits up and skid to the edge of the bed. She buries her face in both of her hands and sighs. "Another cop ended up dead."_  
_Maura's walking to the walk-closet and takes a deep breath. "Yes, I know. It's just in the near. I am glad that we took a shower before we get to bed to get some sleep. Do you think it's a coincidence that two members of the law enforcement died in a row, Jane?"_  
_Jane gets out of the bed and walks to the closet too. "I really don't know, Maura," she replies and takes a dark gray pantsuit from the clothes rail. "Let's get to the crime scene, then I can seize up the state of affairs, but I honestly hope that you are wrong."_  
_Maura put on her underwear and glance at her wife. "I am barely wrong, Jane."_  
_Jane looks at her and snorts. She knows that herself, and she hates it. "Okay, let me say it that way. Let's hope that there is no other investigation team is available and that it is the reason why operations called us in again."_  
_Maura button up her emerald green blouse and tries to smile, but she silently hopes that too. But she is quite aware that this really would be a big coincidence._  
_She's doubting that half of Boston has turned into a battleground in a single night, but she doesn't say it out loud._  
_Instead, she slips into her black fabric trouser and licks her lips._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_The two women arrive at the new crime scene in the Chestnut Hill Reservation and can see the row._  
_They can understand it, though. It's the second police officer that got killed within one week._  
_Frost comes up to them with an stoic face. "This time it's no one that one of us knows."_  
_"That doesn't make it any better," Jane states and put on a pair of gloves. "Do we know the victim's ID?"_  
_He nods yes. "Yeah. His name is Simon Fisher. He was a patrolman too."_  
_Jane clench her teeth and takes a deep breath and follows the younger man to the secluded place. "Same MO?"_  
_Frost shakes his head and glance at her. "Nope, it's a lot worse. Take a look yourself."_  
_Jane furrows her eyebrows and looks down where her partner shines at with his flashing light._  
_Her brows shoot up and she's wondering why he didn't throw up at this sight._  
_Simon Fisher's face doesn't look like a face anymore._  
_A glaring whole is on his forehead and brain tissue is scattered all over the place._  
_Even she could get sick at this view, but she is happy that she can control her stomach, and that she hadn't have breakfast. "Jesus," she whispers. "That's what I call an overkill. What happened to him? Did he run in front of a train? Was he first shot and then beaten?"_  
_"That's what we can rule out." Maura says as she's kneeling down next to the body. "But I can tell, according to the bruising on his forearms, that he was fighting back."_  
_The Italian sighs and raise an shoulder. "Apparently unsuccessful. So, he was trying to attenuate the beating."_  
_Maura nods and pats down his arms. "Both of his radius are broken."_  
_"A typical defensiveness." Frost states._  
_The blonde nods again. "Yes."_  
_"So the beating came first." Jane says and looks around. "It seems like someone was pretty pissed off and I really don't have a good feeling with all of this."_  
_Frost sighs with a deep frown and nods agreeing._  
_Jane glance at the police tape and scrutinize each face of the onlookers. Maybe she sees a prominent face between all of them. "The murder looks more like an execution." She mumbles more to herself. "Perhaps Fisher said or done something that enraged his offender. May - - -" She trails off as she spots a familiar face and furls her brows._  
_She starts to head for the police tape and increases her speed as the person starts to back away._  
_"What the heck," Frost asks confused._  
_Maura is just as confused as Frost and gets up to her feet. "Jane?"_  
_Jane ignored both of them and starts to run towards the yellow tape._  
_Frost glances at the ME and place an hand on the handle of his gun. "Maura, you stay put, all right?"_  
_Maura opens her mouth to protest and takes a step forward, but then she's staying on the spot._  
_Frost is rushing over to the Italian and looks in the crowd of people, his hand is still at the handle of his Glock. "What's wrong?"_  
_Jane scans desperately the faces of the onlookers. "I thought that I saw - - -"_  
_"Saw whom?" He nearly shouts at her._  
_She looks confused around. "I ... I thought that I - - -"_  
_"You what?" He asks slightly annoyed._  
_She exhales slowly through her mouth and her shoulders slump. "Perhaps it was nothing. Just wishful thinking."_  
_He glares at her and went back to Maura with a huff._  
_Jane stares ahead and furrows her eyebrows. She was more than one hundred percent sure that - - -_  
_But she probably was the only person who saw him._  
_Her god damn mind probably tricked her._  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura is standing at a autopsy table in the autopsy room and is stitching up a female body.  
She's like always wearing her black scrubs and her hair is up in a ponytail.  
She looks over her shoulder when the double door opens and smiles politely at the tall, blond man who enters the room. "Detective Jacobs, what a surprise. I am about to finish the autopsy of your victim. What can I do for you?"  
Detective Adam Jacobs clears his throat and shove his hands into the pockets of his pants. "I am here to ask you what the cause of death of Vanessa Sanchez was. We brought in her fiancé to interview him."  
Maura licks her lips and put off her gloves.  
She actually doesn't care about the fact, but she thinks that it would be rude to say that out loud. "Well, there was a lot of water in both of her lungs and there is an strikingly bruising on her neck."  
He nods and furls his eyebrows. "So her head was held under water in her bathtub until she drowned?"  
"I let the Lab run a test of the water in which the body was found, but she was definitely drowned, yes." She says and takes a clipboard from an table to make her last notes so she can write her autopsy report.  
She's more than sure that he'll leave as soon as she stops talking because Jacobs was never one of the detectives who thanked her for the update.  
She frowns and glance up from the clipboard when she doesn't hear him leaving again.  
She forces herself to smile because he's still standing at the table. "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"  
He clears his throat once again. "Um, well ... I ... I was wondering if I could interest you in ... Um ... You know."  
Maura's smile falls instantly and a deep frown creeps onto her forehead. "Detective Jacobs, are you actually offering sexual favors to me?"  
His body is relaxing and a smug smile plays around his lips. "Well, I thought I could ask you out for lunch or dinner first, but we can skip that part."  
Maura straightens up so she appears to be taller and her face is more than serious. "I am more than sure that you are aware of the fact that I am a married woman, Detective. What makes you think that you could interest me in cheating on my wife with you? Just because you are a attractive person with a penis. I'm sorry, but I can assure you that it takes a lot more than that to interest me in having sex with you." She glares at him and points at the door. "And now I would like you to leave my department. I'll let you know when the autopsy report is finished."  
Jacobs turns crimson and he storms out of the room without saying goodbye.  
Maura huffs and is shaking her head.  
He wasn't the first male police officer who was hitting on her since Jane isn't in the station anymore.  
Well, even Jane was still on active duty it didn't kept them from asking Maura out, but as soon as her wife got to know that she almost bite the heads of those idiots off.  
Suddenly, she feel the urge to be close to Jane, or at least to hear Jane's voice for a couple of minutes.  
She knows that she has to tell herself that she can't be around her wife 24/7 and that Jane need her space so she can cope with the new situation, but she need a little bit of normalcy too.  
That's why she walks to the counter on which her phone is and why she dials the number she knows by heart.  
It only rings three times.  
"Hey, Maura." Jane says and Maura has to smile.  
The Italian's voice is soft and she sounds like in old days.  
"Hi," the ME replies. "How are you doing?"  
Jane sighs heavily. "It's a long day. And how are you?"  
Maura still smiles and enters her office. "It's a long day here too."  
"You know, you shouldn't work too hard in your state."  
The blonde can see the concerned face and has to chuckle. "I won't be able to do that for a while, Jane."  
There is a pause. "Hmmm."  
"Did I interrupt you?"  
"What? No. No, I just came out of the bathroom."  
"Oh," the doctor breathes. "I'm sorry."  
"For what?" Jane chuckles. "You need to go on toilet too, don't you?"  
Maura frowns and sits down on her desk chair. "Yes, of course I have to. Every mammalian has to go on toilet."  
Jane chuckles and sighs heavily. "You wanna tell me something, or did you just miss my voice."  
Maura is licking her lips. "Both, Jane."  
"Spit it. What have you done?"  
"Nothing," Maura says and giggles like a school girl. "I've just performed a autopsy."  
"You're going to tell me with your Googlemouth what the cause of death was?"  
Maura rolls her eyes and shakes her head.  
She has no idea why it is so much easier to act normal with Jane when they're on phone. "No, but I told it Jacobs."  
Jane groans. "The idiot who constantly tries to hit on you?"  
"He tried it again," Maura chuckles and shakes her head. "But this time he also asked me out."  
"You're pregnant," Jane argues.  
Maura's eyebrows shoot up and she place an hand on her belly. "But I'm still attractive."  
"Absolutely true," Jane replies without hesitation.  
"But I am also very married." Maura adds.  
"Such a lucky bastard." Jane laughs, but then she turns serious. "You know, I know that you have needs and I wouldn't mind - - -"  
Maura knows what her wife is about to say and sighs. "Jane, don't you dare finish that sentence. I love you and I am not sleeping with a random man just because you think I have to satisfy my needs. I can wait until you are ready."  
"And what if I'll never be ready, Maura?" Jane shoots back. "What if I'll never be able to accept my destiny? I can't ask you to forgo intimacy just because my - -"  
"It doesn't mean that we won't have intimacy anymore, Jane." Maura says as calm as possible. "There are many ways to be intimate with each other. I rather would let you watch me when I touch myself before I have sex with a person that I don't love, Jane. Touching yourself while your spouse is watching you can be very arousing too."  
Jane groans unashamed and Maura smiles proudly because it is not a groan of annoyance.  
She knows that most of the problems starts in the heads of the persons who are paralyzed for such short amount of time, and that they need their time.  
And she knows that paralyzed people think in the beginning that they can't satisfy their partners anymore, and that's not just because of the mind but also because of their medication.  
But she also know that there are tricks to stimulate both parties when they are intimate, paralyzed or not.  
"I really would like to touch you right now, Maura." Jane husks all of a sudden.  
Maura's breath hitch and she swallows hard.  
Oh, how she would love to be touched by her wife in that moment.  
"And I'm sure I would enjoy watching you touching yourself.  
"Jane," Maura whispers and she press her legs together when she feels that her arousal grows.  
"And I would like to kiss your lips right now," Jane admits softly.  
Maura's eyes flutter shut and she smiles. "I would love it when you could kiss me right now, honey."  
"I love you, Maura." Jane admits with her voice laden full of emotions.  
Maura feels a tear running down her cheek and she exhales shakily through her mouth. "I love you too, Jane. I love you so much that it hurts sometimes."  
"I wish I could be with you right now and hold you." Jane says softly.  
A sob escapes from the ME's lips and she nods slowly. "Yes, I wish you could hold me right now too. I miss you, Jane."  
There is a brief silence in the line. "How is our bug doing?"  
Maura has to chuckle heartily. "Our baby is doing just fine. It grows everyday."  
"Ma always said that she looked like a sea cow because of me." The Italian chuckles and becomes serious immediately. "Do you know by now what our baby will be?"  
The blonde shakes her head. "No, I don't know. We both said that we don't wanna know until I gave birth because the gender doesn't matter."  
"Yeah, I know, but weren't you curious when I was ... not available?"  
Maura smiles and leans back in her chair. "I have to admit that I am very curious at some point, but we both agreed to wait."  
"I would love to see the next ultrasound picture, or to attend your next appointment." Jane says and groans when someone talks to her. "Maura, I have to go to my shrink. Talk to you later."  
Maura nods again. "Sure."  
Jane pauses. "I love you, Maura."  
The ME smiles. "I love you too." She says before she hangs up.  
She frowns when she sees Korsak standing in the door.  
He raises his shoulders. "Sorry, I didn't meant to pry. Was that Jane?"  
Maura takes a deep breath and nods. "Yes, she was."  
"Sounds like she's on a good way." He states.  
Maura licks her lips. "She seems to be. What can I do for you, Vince?"  
He shrugs again. "Nothing. I was wondering if I could do anything for you. I'm heading out to get lunch."  
Maura chuckles and gets her wallet out of her purse. "I'm craving for a beacon cheese burger."  
He waves his hand and frowns. "That kid has to be a Rizzoli when it force its mother to ignore her diet. The burger is on me, Maura."  
Maura chuckles and put her hands on her belly and shakes her head.  
He's right though, her baby is a one hundred percent Rizzoli and she's more than happy that Jane slowly comes back to her.


	15. Chapter 15

_Jane enters the autopsy room with two containers in her hand and stops when she can see that her wife has peeled the scalp off of Fisher's skull, and that the ME has removed the skullcap with the bone saw. "Hey, Maura, I have brought you -" She trails off and arches an eyebrow. "Lunch. Well, I can see that you are already deep in Fisher's head. Literally."_

_Maura chuckles and nod to the table on which her laptop is. "You can put it over there, Jane."_

_The Italian shrugs and puts the containers on the said table. "So, what do you have for me, Dr. Isles?"_

_Maura is putting the remains of his brain in a weighing pan and looks up at the dialog digits. "As I already have mentioned at the crime scene, both of his radius are broken several times. It is a very common defensive injury, but I also have found excoriations in the palms of his hands, on his tibias and knees."_

"_He was forced to kneel down?" Jane is asking and furls her brows._

_The doctor is nodding approvingly. "That would explain the angle of the entry wound in his skull and brain. It's running perpendicularly downwards."_

"_Like he was executed." The detective states and sighs._

_The blonde nods again. "Yes."_

_Jane crosses her arms over her chest and looks long at the remains of the man. "So could see what is coming next. He probably was begging for his life. Did you find any DNA under is nails?"_

_Maura puts her gloves off and frowns. "No. And that's what confused me, because, as you can see, Simon Fisher was in a pretty good shape. I'll let the Lab run a couple of tests."_

"_You have an hunch." Jane replies with a smirk._

_Maura is rolling her eyes and looks long at her wife. "I have an idea, Jane. A man like Simon would have fought back if he would have been able, but he doesn't even have bruised knuckles."_

_Jane is making a step forward. "You think that he was drugged?" She says and narrows her eyes when the doctor is pressing her lips to a thin line together. "I know, I know, I'm sorry. The Lab has to test his blood before you can negate or affirm it. But I can tell you that this wasn't random, Maura."_

"_True," Maura says and writes down the weight of his brain. "What have you seen at the crime scene that roiled you, Jane?"_

_Jane takes a deep breath and shrugs. "I … I thought that I had seen Ryan Flynn in between the onlookers."_

_Maura's eyes are snapping up to the Italian's. "Ryan Flynn. The man who has called in the first murder ?"_

_The detective furrows her brows and nods once. "Yes, but I am not quite sure if he is just a poor man who discovered a body in the middle of the night as he walked his phantasmal dog. I can't put a finger on it, Maura, but he seems to be really creepy. And my gut is telling me that he would stop at nothing."_

_The ME is looking long at the brunette and licks her lips. "What do you mean?"_

"_He was so proud of his son because __**Kevin **__is studying law instead of economics like the rest of the Flynn family." Jane answers and hooks her thumbs in the loops of her pants. "Ma would have burst with pride if any lf her children would've gone to college."_

"_You had the chance to attend BCU." Maura replies and raises briefly her eyebrows. "I am sure that Frankie would have done the same when you'd have grabbed your chance."_

_The Italian huffs and purses her lips. "So, it's my fault that Frankie became a cop too, and that Tommy became a -"_

_Maura realizes what she had implied and frowns. "That's not what I wanted to say, Jane. It's just … both of them are looking up at you. That you were their role model when all of you were younger. They are still trying to impress you, Jane."_

_Jane does get what her wife is trying to say and her shoulders are slumping. "I know. I mean, I am already proud of them, and I wish I could tell them. But then they're doing something incredible stupid and I could wring their neck._

_God, I'm going be an awful mother. I surely will raise our child with a carrot and a stick, even though I don't want to."_

_Maura puts the clipboard in her hand to the side and is walking over to the insecure detective. "Sometimes it isn't so bad to raise a child with a carrot and a stick, if it is not permanent. And if he or she will become like you, both of us have to run rings around our child, and I can assure you that you will be a wonderful mother, Jane, because you are a wonderful person and a great detective."_

_Jane furrows her eyebrows and sighs heavily. "Thanks, I needed a kind of pep talk right now. I mean, we have two dead cops and the son of our only witness is probably a rapist."_

_Maura is hesitating for a moment. "We don't have an DNA sample of that possible rapist, do we?"_

"_No, Frost has said that he always used condoms."_

"_Do you think you could get me an sample of the persons you have in sight?"_

"_Why?"_

_The doctor walks to the sink and turns the water on. "We have found DNA of a second person on the wire with that Stella Banks was killed. If you could get me an sample of Kevin Flynn, __**nail him down**__ or give you the information that you need to close the Banks case."_

"_Right," the detective says slowly and frowns a little. "You can tell an entire family history because lf a drop of salvia."_

"_Barely," Maura laughs now._

_Jane is pointing at her and starts to leave the autopsy room. "Maura, you are truly a genius. I have an idea how I can get you an comparison sample. See you later at home, love you."_

_Maura is scoffing and put an hand on the small of her back, shaking her head amused. Then she takes a deep breath and returns to her work._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane is sitting in her bed and watches one of her favorite TV shows as she hears a knock on her open room door.

She's looking at the entrance because her mother would just barge in.

A smile starts to spread over her face as soon as a blond head comes into view. "Hey."

Maura is looking at her and smiles back. "Hi."

"You love to come here, don't you?"

The pregnant woman is closing the door and shrugs. "I love to see you, and I miss your grumpy attitude at work."

The Italian huffs and switches off the TV. "No, you don't."

Maura smiles and sits down next to the bed. "Yes, I do, because Adam Jacobs tried to an sexual … adventure with him."

A deep and dangerous growl escapes from Jane's throat and her eyes seems to be blaze up. "What the hell? What did you say?"

Maura's smile is growing bigger and she runs an hand over Jane's. "Of course I declined, Jane."

Jane is scowling at her and clenches her teeth. She wants to have Jacobs' guts for garters.

She is still alive, isn't she? She still is … "I want to go home," she says all of a sudden.

Maura is looking in surprise at her and blinks a couple of times. "What?"

Jane takes a deep breath and frowns. "I … I was long enough in here. I … I have learned to use this **thing **over there and I have realized what I've missed the most. I miss my family and my friends." She pauses and raises briefly her eyebrows. "I won't promise that it'll be easy, because it's not, but I will try. I wanna try it, Maura.

I sure will need time, but I really wanna try. I won't surrender without a last fight."

Maura closes her eyes and takes her wife's hand in her own.

She squeezes it and a tear is trickling down her cheek. "But the refurbishments just have started, Jane."

"I don't care." The former detective replies. "I sleep on the couch if I have to, but … don't tell Ma yet. Otherwise, she's going to nurse me like I am only one year old. I am sure she also would change my diapers if she thinks she has to."

Maura needs a moment before she is understanding and chuckles. "I think that I can keep it to myself for a little while."

Jane smiles and is tugging lightly at the doctor's hand.

The ME is tilting her head to the side and smiles. "Yes?"

"I …" Jane says sheepishly. "I could need a kiss."

Maura is beaming and get up to her feet, leaning a little bit over. She is tracing the Italian's bottom lip with her thumb before she is pressing her lips to Jane's.

Jane hums approvingly and the tenderness of the kiss is starting to shoo the darkness out of her heart.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Korsak is sitting behind the steering wheel of the unmarked car and frowns deeply. "Is that observation or is that stalking?"_

_Jane sips her coffee and looks confused at him. "Why should this be stalking, Vince? We're only keeping an eye on our prime suspect. When he throws his trash in an official garbage can, it is the property of Boston and we can do whatever we want to do with it. And as far as I know, we're trying to stop a killer and a rapist in the same time. So, no breaching of the law. You don't need to have sleepless nights, Korsak."_

"_I am a very sensible person," he replies._

_She scoffs and takes another swig of her coffee. "Yeah, me too."_

_He rolls his eyes and furls his brows. "What makes you think that he will come by here?"_

"_My gut is telling that." Jane simply says._

_He leans forward and looks through the windshield, furling his eyebrows. "Remind me that I am going to buy your guts a beer. There he comes. Kevin Flynn, holding a paper cup in his hands."_

_Jane is nodding to herself and is chewing on the inside of her cheek. "The only thing he needs to do now is to throw that damn cup away, then we can collect our evidence." She frowns now. "Come on, Kev. You don't need that damn thing anymore, be a good boy and throw it away. Come on."_

_Kevin seems to sense their presence as he slows his steps, and then he passes the garbage can._

"_Damn it," she nearly shouts and slams her hand on the dashboard._

_The plan seemed so good, in her head._

_Korsak looks at her and shrugs. "And now what?"_

_She takes her buzzing phone from its holder and sighs. "Now, we're driving back to the station. Simon Fisher's wife just came in."_

_He starts the engine and sighs as well. "Oh, joy."_

_She is pressing her lips to a thin line together._

_This will always be the hardest part of the job, talking to bereaved family members and tell them how sorry they are for their loss. Especially when the victim is a cop._

_She sighs again and is staring out of the window._

_Yes, this day is gonna be great._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day, Maura is entering her wife's room without knocking and smiles when she sees Jane in her wheelchair, sitting at a small table and reading a newspaper.

She puts an hand on the Italian's shoulder and squeezes it lightly. "Old habits die hard, mm?"

Jane is flinching and glance up into hazel eyes. "Uh … yeah. What are you doing here, Maura?"

"I just wanted to see how you're feeling today," the blonde answers and places her briefcase on an empty chair. "How are you feeling, Jane?"

Jane closes the newspaper and takes a deep breath. "It was an exhausting and long day, but I am better now." She answers and spots the top of a file in Maura's briefcase. "What is that?"

Maura looks in the same direction and panic is starting to spread through her whole body.

She is cursing herself for being so careless, but she really has forgotten the file in her briefcase.

It is a case that they had catch two days ago, and that Korsak and Frost are investigating.

She has taken the still not typed autopsy report with her to type it in her laptop when she is at home.

She licks her lips and shrugs. "Um … that's an autopsy report on which Korsak and Frost are working currently."

Jane isn't saying anything for a moment and clenches her teeth.

But then she is nodding slowly. "Oh, okay."

The blonde rubs circles on her wife's upper back and sighs. "I have forgotten about the file." She smiles sheepishly. "But I need to use the restroom now."

Jane looks up and nods slowly. "You can use mine, though."

The doctor hesitates and looks long at her wife. "Jane -"

"I mean it, Maura." The former detective says. "There is nothing in there that you haven't seen. I mean, you are a doctor aren't you?"

Maura smiles and kisses Jane gently. "Yes, I am."

"One more," the Italian hums and truly smiles as her wife gives her another kiss before she heads for the bathroom.

She looks at the briefcase again and furls her eyebrows.

She's still not quite sure if she is willed to accept the offer of Cavanaugh and the BPD to works as a counselor for them, but she also knows that all of them always relied of her sharp mind and not just of her physical abilities. And deep down inside of her there still is Detective Jane Rizzoli waiting to come up again and who wants to get her teeth into murder cases again.

Becoming a cop, a Homicide detective, was her lifelong dream and she had fulfilled it with flying colors after she had worked her ass off.

Hoyt never had turned her into a victim, why should her next bogeyman be successful?

She runs her hands over her face because she is in conflict with herself right now, she knows that she isn't allowed to risk a glance into this file, but she's also dying to know with what Korsak and Frost have to bother during her absence.

She licks her lips and takes a look over her shoulder to make sure that the ME won't catch her when she has zoomed out.

She hasn't realized that she is holding Maura's autopsy report in her hand already and she is staring at the seal of the medical jurisprudence of Massachusetts and hesitates. "Oh, fuck it." She whispers and opens the file.

Maura is coming with a smile out of the bathroom and freezes when she sees her wife with the medical report in her hand. "Jane, what the heck are you doing?"

The Italian makes a face and glance at her wife. "Um, I knocked over your briefcase and the file fell to the ground?"

Maura is rushing over to the former detective and takes the file out of Jane's hand. "You knocked my briefcase accidentally over and the file fell onto the table, who the hell are you kidding?"

Jane's eyebrows are shooting up. "Since when are you using such words?"

"Since you are not in the precinct anymore." The doctor growls.

"I am a bad influence," Jane says with a proud smile, but it falls when the blonde is scowling at her.

She rolls her eyes as she realize that she shouldn't be messing with a pregnant woman. "All right, I got curious."

Maura sighs and shakes her head. "Jane, you know that you are not … That just you can't take a look at those files anymore. Unless, you take the job as a police counselor."

"Are you trying to bribe me?" The Italian growls.

"No, I really forgot that I took this with me, Jane." The blonde says and looks at her wife.

She stops when she can see the old Jane Rizzoli in the woman who is sitting in the wheelchair and she straightens up.

Jane takes a deep breath and shrugs. "I can guarantee that no one gets to know that I took a look at the file, even not Frost or Korsak. I won't say a word."

Maura is sighing heavily and hesitates before she is handing Jane the report.

The former detective is frowning deeply. "You shouldn't be doing this, Maura."

"I am only seeking advice from Boston's finest," the Me replies and smirks as she sees an certain spark in brown eyes.

Jane is skeptical for a second, but then she opens the file again. "Well, as far as I can see her head was smashed several times."

"Yes, the cause of death is multiple blunt force trauma," the blonde agrees and crosses her legs after she sat down on the chair next to the detective."

Jane is looking through the report and furls her eyebrows. "She was a druggie, and you wrote down that there are incidents for domestic violence. Was she found in the bedroom?"

Maura nods slowly and approvingly. "Yes, she was found in the bedroom."

"Did she have an spouse?"

"She did have an boyfriend."

The Italian snorts and turns down the corners of her mouth. "Call it a gut feeling, but I guess that he was covered in her blood when the EMTs and the police arrived at the crime scene, and his explanation was that he gave his girlfriend a CPR."

Maura is tilting amazed her head to the side and furrows her eyebrows. "I don't know the exact wording of his statement, but I think he said something like that, yes. You should ask Korsak or Frost about that."

Jane nods and is rolling over to her nightstand, grabbing her phone.

Maura walks to her and places an hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "Maybe you call them tomorrow, Jane. I think that they're glad that they're home for today."

Jane purses her lops and drops the phone on her bed. "I'm sorry, I got carried away. It just friendship felt like -"

"I know," Maura is saying as the other woman trails off. "It felt like the old days. I felt it too, Jane. But I think that's a good sign."

The Italian sighs and shrugs. "Yeah, that's what my shrink said too."

Maura smiles but rolls her eyes at this.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey, guys. I am so sorry for the long delay, but I had some kind of writer's block with this one. I hope that you still stick with this story. Thank you for reading this story and I hope that you will like this update. Of course you are welcomed to review as always. **

**Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane and Korsak are entering the conference room in which a redhead is sitting and waits for them. She is about Jane's age and is somewhat tall._

_Jane clears her throat a smiles weakly as the woman turns her attention to them. She holds out her hand and shakes the poor woman's. "Mrs. Fisher," she says and sits down at the wooden table. "I am Detective Jane Rizzoli and this is my partner Vince Korsak. I wish we could meet under better circumstances."_

_Melissa Fisher slowly nods and wipes her nose with a handkerchief. "Yes, me too. K beard a lot good stuff about you."_

_Korsak weighs and gets the notepad out of the inside of his jacket as they sit down., and he only nods._

"_Can you tell me what happened," Melissa whispers._

_Jane clears her throat again and clenches her teeth. "Not yet, Ma' am , but we have some questions."_

_Melissa is looking long at her and she shrugs. "I hope that my answers are going to help you catching this sick son of a bitch who caused my kids growing up with no father."_

"_Yeah, me too."_

_Korsak points at a free chair at the conference table and takes his notepad out of the inside pocket of his jacket._

_Melissa takes a deep breath and sits down on the chair. "Thank you._

_Jane licks her lips and sits down on the opposite of the table. "Mrs. Fisher, we do have a few questions about your husband.."_

_The other woman is looking long at the detective and nods with tears in her eyes. "I hope I that my answers will help you."_

_Jane frowns a little and gives the newly widow time to sort her thoughts. She clears her throat and tries to sound neutral. "Mrs. Fisher, did your husband behaved strangely the last time you have seen him?"_

_Melissa wipes her nose with a Kleenex and nods slowly. "Um, actually, yes. Simon was kinda edgy the entire week. I … I thought that it was because of this murder of this other cop."_

_Korsak is looking over the rim of his glasses and frowns deeply. "You're talking about Stella Banks."_

_Melissa nods approvingly. "Yes, I guess that's her name."_

_Jane looks briefly at the older man and her frown deepens. "Did Simon know Stella personally?"_

_Melissa thinks briefly and nods again. "Yeah, they worked together in the past and they were called to an operation back then. After that operation, he was all churned up inside. That's why Simon and this Stella Banks met every now and then. In the beginning, I thought that they were having an affair, but Simon assured me that it was only work-related and that there would be no need to worry, and I believed him."_

_Jane furls her eyebrows and looks long at the grieving woman. "Did he told you what upset him so much?"_

_Melissa takes a deep breath and shrugs as a tear runs down her cheek. "I asked him a couple of times, but he always told me that it would be a ongoing investigation and that he doesn't want to burden me with it. But I think he also was upset because this serial rapist who always got away."_

"_He told you that," the Italian asks and is obviously very surprised._

_The other woman is glaring at her. "I might not be a cop, Detective Rizzoli, but I can put one and one together."_

_Korsak is leaning back in his chair and sighs. "Can you tell us if your husband has made notes about his work and stored it somewhere at home?"_

"_I am not sure, but I can take a look and bring here what ever I'll find."_

_Jane is smiling friendly at her and nods. "That would be fantastic, Mrs. Fisher." She says and reaches out her hand again. "Thank you for your time and I am very sorry for your loss."_

_Melissa shakes the hand and nods. "Thank you. And please catch the person who did this to my husband."_

_Jane nods and gets up to her feet, holding the door open for the poor woman who must lost her husband. "Of course."_

_Melissa nods again and leaves the conference room again._

"_I hope that he also made notes." Korsak states and looks at the Italian._

"_That would be a promising lead," she replies and runs an hand through her hair._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

_Jane is coming home late that night and locks the front door with a heavy sigh. She turns around and has to smile as she sees an already open bottle of beer is waiting for her on the kitchen island. She arches an eyebrow when her eyes finds her beaming wife. "That's exactly what I need right now. Thanks, Maura."_

_The doctor chuckles and raises an shoulder. "I haven't done anything yet."_

_The detective smirks and walks over to Maura. She grabs the smaller woman at her hips and pulls her against her body. "Yes, you did. You cooked and too an beer out for me. You are prefect."_

_Maura scoffs and wraps her arms around the brunette's neck. "I am anything but perfect, Jane."_

"_For me, you __**are **__perfect." Jane replies and bends her head, kissing her wife's lips._

_Maura smiles and runs her thumbs over the back of the detective's neck._

_Jane pulls away and takes a deep breath. "I was craving for this the entire day," she mumbles._

_Maura smiles broadly and her eyes drop back to Jane's lips. "Me too, Jane."_

_The Italian smiles and kisses Maura again. She pulls the ME even closer and let her hands roam over the smaller woman's butt._

_Maura gasps as the detective gives her backside a firm squeeze and breaks the kiss again. "Jane!"_

_Now, Jane is paying attention to the doctor's neck and kisses it gently. "What?" She whispers against skin._

_Maura is tilting her head to the side and hums. "Jane, our dinner will become cold."_

"_I always had preferred dessert anyway," the detective growls low._

_The blonde starts to laugh and pushes her wife a little away. "You know how tempting that sounds, but we also need to eat real food."_

_Jane furrows her eyebrows and makes a pouty face. "What makes you think that I didn't eat __**real food**__ today?"_

_Maura gives the Italian a peck on her lips and shrugs. "Usually you forget to eat during a case like this. That's why I know that you haven't ate today. And your mother told me that you haven't left the precinct of came down to ten Café to get a sandwich."_

_Jane keeps her puckered lips and frowns. "Well, that's what I call a turn off."_

"_What," Maura asks and walks to the fridge. "That your mother told me that you skipped lunch? Again!"_

"_No, that you and my mother are talking about my eating habits at all. And that you mentioned my mother when I try to seduce you." Jane answers and sips her beer._

_Maura chuckles amused and takes a bottle of water out of the refrigerator._

_Jane is leaning with her hip against the island and frowns a little. "You know, it's odd for me to see you drinking water instead of wine at such time of the night."_

_Maura swallows the liquid and licks her lips. "Should I be honest?"_

_Jane nods with a small smile. "It's not like you have another choice. But I won't promise you that I keep my hands to myself when you decide to lie and pass out."_

_The blonde scoffs and glares at the de. "I really do miss my glass of wine after work and our time together."_

_Jane furrows her eyebrows and sips her beer again. "Sounds like pregnancy would suck."_

"_Sometimes it really does." Maura replies with a sigh and turns off the stove. "You know what?"_

_Jane smirks knowingly. "I do know a lot of things, but I am not sure if we're thinking about the same thing right now."_

_The blonde takes her wife's hand in her own and starts to walk. "I think we can start our meal with dessert tonight."_

_Jane follows her wife and a smile is tugging at her lips. "I thought you were worried about my non-food diet, Maura."_

_Maura starts to climb up the stairs. "I haven't said that we' skip dinner at all. We'll just have -"_

"_Gonna have wild sex before we bolt our meal?" Jane cuts her off._

_Maura looks over her shoulder as they make their way to the bedroom and raises her eyebrows. "Yes."_

_Jane is grinning like an idiot. "And I thought that pregnant women would lose their sex drive in the first trimester."_

"_Are you really complaining now," the doctor counter._

"_Hell no." The Italian says and closes the bedroom door behind her._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura enters her house and almost trips over an toolbox. "What the -"

"Oh," Angela says and hurries to her daughter-in-law. "I told the handymen to put their toolboxes somewhere you can't trip over. I can see that they didn't listen to me. Are you hungry, honey?"

That is exactly what Maura doesn't need. She was hoping for a couple of quiet minutes after her wife tried to seduce her at the rehab center. Most of the nights she was glad that Jane's mother was there as she needed someone, but right now she just wants to be alone right now. She starts to understand why Jane sometimes got cranky. Just a little space would be nice sometimes.

The doctor sighs and places her purse on the desk at the back of the couch. "Uh … No, not really. "I had a salad on my way home."

Angela raises surprised her eyebrows and scrutinizes the blonde. "You okay? You seem to be a little tense."

Maura walks to the fridge and opens it to avoid the matriarch's eyes. "Yes," she says. "I am fine. "It just was a long day and the visit at Jane's wasn't the easiest one." She turns to Angela with an bottle of water in her hand. "Angela, I don't mean to be rude, but would you please give me some time alone?"

Angela looks long at her and walks over to her, hugging the blonde tightly. "Of course, honey. If you need something, you know where you can find me." She says and starts to head for the back door. She stops abruptly as someone is ringing doorbell. "Are you expecting someone, Maura?"

Maura can imagine how this has to look right now and walks towards the door. "No, I was hoping for a quiet evening." She says and opens the front door. Her heart leaps in her chest as she spots the person who has rang the bell. "Jane?" She asks surprised.

Angela starts to beam from ear to ear and takes a step forward. She just wants to make sure that she did hear right.

The Italian rolls in her wheelchair into the house as her wife steps aside and takes a look around. "I would have let myself in, but I think I lost my keys God knows when." She abruptly stops as she spots her mother. "Hey, Ma. Am I interrupting a girls night or something like that?"

Angela is about to reply something gleeful when Maura says, "Your mother was about to leave." She looks apologetically at the older woman.

The smile of Angela falters for a second but she recovers fast. "Right, I was about to leave. I left lasagna in the fridge. Have nice evening, girls."

Jane's eyebrow shoot up high and she heads towards the kitchen. "Seriously? I am craving for your food, Ma."

Angela chuckles and leaves the house without another word.

Maura is still feeling a little overwhelmed and walks into the kitchen. "How did you get up the stairs?"

Jane looks over her shoulder at the doctor and then her eyes drop to her lap. "Don't ask, it's humiliating." She says and sighs heavily as she sees the questioningly look of her wife. "A hospital aide drove me here and carried me up after I threatened him. As I said, it's not exactly elegant." She looks around and changes the topic. "The house looks like a jobsite, Maura. You wasn't joking about making arrangements."

Maura takes a deep breath and shrugs. "You know that I wasn't joking about that, of that I would lie to you." She walks to the Italian and frowns. "Can I get you something? Water, tea co -"

Jane points at something and frowns as weld "You can get me that bottle of beer and a bit of my Ma's lasagna."

"Jane -" The doctor says and opens the door lf the fridge.

"Please, Maura." Jane cuts her wife off and takes a deep breath. "One beer won't kill me after all and I am not here to argue with you."

Maura is hesitating but then she hands her wife the beer, even though her medical knowledge jib against it .

Jane is grinning, opens the bottle and downs the half of the beer. She stifles a burp and hums. "Yeah, that's how home should feel like."

Maura smiles a little and places carefully an hand on Jane's shoulder. She knows that this is a tricky situation right now. "I hope that isn't just because of the beer."

Jane doesn't flinch at the touch and raises her brows. She sighs as she looks at the bottle and then she places it on the island. She rolls over to the doctor and hesitates for a moment before she places an hand on the baby bump of her wife. Something seems to change in her whole demeanor and she looks up at the blonde and wants to pull her hand away again as she sees that Maura has closed her eyes and that her chin is trembling. "I am sorry -"

Maura holds the hand in place and a tear is rolling down her cheek. She is shaking her head and licks her lips. "You don't have to be sorry, Jane." She whispers with a smile.

The Italian frowns deeply and she can't say what is happening deep inside her right now. She kisses Maura's belly lightly and whispers to it, "Everything's gonna be alright. I am home now."

A sob escapes from Maura's throat and she runs an hand through unruly hair, hoping that Jane doesn't flinch at that touch. She sighs relieved as Jane doesn't back away and smiles broadly with tears in her eyes. "When do you have to be back at the rehab center?"

Jane looks up and grins sheepishly. "Um -"

"Jane!" Maura says horrified. "Don't tell me that the aide and you sneaked off."

"I made him. And I told him that be should go home."

"**Jane**!"

"What?" The Italian snickers.

Maura takes a look at her watch and rolls her eyes. "I am going to call the rehab center in the morning and then I drive you back before I head for work."

"And I am going to sleep in my wheelchair?" Jane asks sarcastically.

Maura nods approvingly. "It wouldn't be the first time you sleep on it."

Jane is considering the words and raises slightly her brows with pursed lips. "Good point."

Maura smiles broadly and traces the Italian's chin with her fingers. She can see the change in brown eyes and her hearts starts to race. She bends down and hesitates before she kisses Jane's lips gently. "I'll go upstairs and change into something comfortable before I reheat your mother's lasagna."

"And now I am disappointed," Jane replies with furrowed eyebrows.

Maura turns serious again and frowns worriedly. "Why?"

Jane starts to smirk. "Because I can't follow you and help you getting undressed."

Maura smiles broadly and kisses her wife once more. "Let's take one thing at a time." She says and heads up the stairs. As soon as she is at the first floor she leans against the wall and places an hand over her racing heart. She knows that she shouldn't read too much in that, but for tonight she can allow herself to have high hopes. Pretend that this is just a normal evening together with the woman she loves from the bottom of her heart.


	17. Chapter 17

**Heh, guys. I am really sorry for the delay, and I am sorry for the mistake with the last update which happened to be CH 16 again. I can promise that this is a real update now.**

**I hope you'll like it anyway.**

**Enjoy.**

**T73.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Maura is caressing her bump over the fabric of her silky nighty and yawns decently as she enters the kitchen. The dream she had had brought her rest that she didn't have had for a while. The dream of Jane being back at home brought so much rest to her.

"Morning."

She is still not awake enough and walks to the fridge, taking slices of honeydew out of it. She has no idea when exactly she started to have that for breakfast , but she loves the sweet in the morning since her pregnancy. "Good morning, Angela. I am sorry, but I think the baby consumes all my energy and attention."

"Does it," an amused voice asks.

Maura turns around and her eyes looks into nowhere until her eyes drops and find kind brown ones. She could cry as she realize that she hasn't been dreaming and that Jane actually is in their house. She tries to play it cool. "Mhm."

Jane smirks and rolls wheels over to the doctor. "Water melon, really? And Angela?"

The blonde rolls her eyes but smiles. "I always loved honeydew and I got used that your mother is sitting in the living room and watch her TV shows."

Jane is clenching her teeth and pulls Maura down so she is sitting in her lap. She wraps her arms around her wife and sighs. That is a really big step for her and she frowns deeply. Now, she only has to speak her thoughts out loud. "I wanna come home, Maura. I wanna be there for you and our baby. I wanna give you the strength now that I should have given you from the beginning." She shakes her head and she decides to tell her wife, who never gave up on her, what she is feeling. She might never be walking, but that doesn't changed the feelings for the blonde. Deep inside her heart she knows that only Maura is the one who can understand her. Jane wraps her arms carefully around Maura's waist, hoping that she wouldn't do any harm. "I miss you."

Maura doesn't hesitate and wraps her arms around the Italian's neck and a sob escapes from her throat. "I miss you too, Jane. I miss you so much."

The Italian is nodding slowly and starts to caress her wife's cheek with her thumb. "What are your plans for today? Work?"

The ME shakes her head and takes a deep breath. "I have an appointment at my OB/GYN's office today before I have to go to work."

"Okay," the other woman says slowly with a nod. "let me come with you."

Maura's eyebrows are shooting up high and isn't sure if she really has heard right. "Are you sure?"

"Yap."

"Okay, then."

Jane takes a deep breath and can see the stunned stare of her mother in the corner of her eye, but she isn't reacting on that.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jane is sitting nervously in the waiting room and frowns as she sees the questioningly gazes. "They are staring at me, Maura."

Maura is briefly looking up from her magazine and furrows her eyebrows. "Excuse me?"

"I said they are staring at me." The Italian repeats and a low growl escapes from her throat.

The blonde is looking around in the waiting room and sees that some of the persons indeed are staring at them. She can feel her own anger bubbling up and takes her wife's hand in her own. "Just ignore them."

"Are you telling that me or more yourself," Jane asks and takes a look at the doctor.

Maura is holding her gaze and starts to frown, but then the doctor's assistant is calling her name. She takes a deep breath and gets up from the chair. "Both. Come on, Jane."

Jane is glaring at the other couples and is rolling after her wife. "You are used to it aren't you?"

Maura is snorting and licks her lips. "Unfortunately, I am."

Jane huffs and wants to bark at the man who is staring unashamed at her.

"Jane, hurry." Maura says as she sees that the brunette is switching into fighting mode.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The Italian is rolling over the backyard a opens the door to the main house. "I still don't get it why you don't wanna know the gender of our baby." She grumbles and makes a pouty face. Something has switched deep inside of her as soon as she has taken a look at the monitor of the ultrasound. Something she thought that she has lost after the incident.

Maura is following her and has to smile a little. "Because it doesn't matter to me if the baby is a boy or a girl, Jane. All that matters to me is that it is healthy."

Jane rolls over to the fridge and gets a bottle of water out of it. "Normally you hate to be out of control. Let Dr. Philips tell you what the gender is and then you can go wild with your online shopping."

The ME scoffs and takes a bottle of water out of the fridge as well. "You are only saying that because you are dying of curiosity."

Jane takes a swig from the bottle and shrugs before she makes her way to the dining table on which is Maura's laptop.

The blonde frowns a little and opens her own bottle. "Are you trying to find out how to get to know about a baby's gender without a doctor and ultrasound?"

Jane is laughing cynically and arches an brow. "Funny," she says and starts to type. "No, I am looking for a driving school that has a concept for people … like me, and after that I am checking on my bank account, and after **that **I consider if I can afford to remodel my car or if I indeed get arms like a bodybuilder because I have to roll around for the rest of my life. You know, driving my old car without working legs can get hard now."

Maura takes a deep breath and is walking over to the Italian, and places an hand on her shoulder. "You know that you don't have to pay everything on your own, Jane."

Jane is clenching her teeth and looks up at the blonde. "I don't want you have to pay for everything, Maura."

"I don't mind."

"But I do mind it. I. Me, Jane Rizzoli, I do mind it."

Maura takes a deep breath and nods slowly. "Okay."

Jane frowns deeply and tilts her head to the side. "Gas pedal left or right." She reads out loud. "Hand brake as standard of left installed, hand throttle, pedal extensions, lateral supports for driver's seat, wheelchair lift. Standard gas pedal cover, steering wheel inclusive remote control for turning signal, wiper, light, high beams, horn cover, power with a Trident or a _fork_. What the … For that money I easily could get two new cars ."

Maura furrows her brows and sits down on a chair. "Jane, these things are only proposals." She says and turns the device a little so she can take a better look at it. "Look, they are offering vehicles for people who are suffering from apoplexia cerebri, traumatic brain injury, brain tumor. Cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Bekhterev's disease, hemiplegia. Paraplegia and quadriplegia, leg or arm amputee. You are suffering from paraplegia, you hardly need all of these extras. You should go and ask for some advice what you really need."

"Great." Jane grumbles and turns her nose up. "What the hell is Bekhterev's disease?"

Maura has to smile a little and takes a deep breath. "Bekhterev's disease or Maria-Strümpell disease is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease of the axial skeleton, with variable involvement of the peripheral joint and nonarticular structures. Ankylosing spondylitis is one of the seronegative spondyloarthropathies and has a strong genetic predisposition. It mainly affects joints in the spine and the sacroiliac joint in the pelvis."

Jane furrows her brows now. "Perfect, now my back and pelvis are hurting. And we both know that I actually can't feel my pelvis."

The doctor is rolling her eyes and kisses the Italian's cheek. "It's phantom pain."

"Or sympathy for those who are suffering from that disease." The brunette states.

Maura chuckles again before she turns serious. "Did you talk to your therapist about your plans?"

Jane takes a deep breath and nods once. "I did before I showed up. "Yeah, I did and he is supporting me. He is thinking that it would be good for me when I go back to normal life. Whatever that means."

Maura is ignoring the little potshot and turns to her wife. "I also think that it is a good idea. When you have the opportunity to be mobile you don't have to stay at home all day long. For example, you could come to the station and pick me up."

"You wish." Jane says laughingly.

The blonde is smiling broadly and takes Jane's hand in her own. She leans in and kisses Jane gently. "I have to go now. The craftsmen will be re in about an hour. You are sure that you will be okay?"

The former detective is rolling her eyes now. "Yes, I'll be fine. Go."

"Okay." Maura says and kisses her wife once more. "I loves you, Jane." She says and gets up to her feet and heads to the front door. She is jumping as she opens it and sees Frost standing in front of her. "Oh, my."

He clears his throat and smiles apologetically. "Hey, Doc. I wanted to … visit Jane in the rehab center, but they told me that she left yesterday to see you guys."

Maura steps aside to let him in and spots the file in his hand. "Please come in."

He nods and enters the house now. "How is Jane?"

Maura is licking her lips and takes a deep breath. "Better, much better. I am sure that she is going to be pleased to see you."

He smiles s little and wiggles his brows. "Do you think that she'd mind to take a look at something?"

Maura is holding his gaze and frowns. "I am not sure, but if she is taking a look make sure that it is not to much for her. When she says _stop_, then stop."

Frost is nodding approvingly. "Of course.

She smiles and finally leaves.

Frost takes a deep breath and walks into the living room. His heart is dropping as soon as he spots the back of his friend's head. "Hey, Jane."

Jane's head is swirling Round as she hears his voice and she starts to smile like a Cheshire cat. "Frost! Hey, how are you doing?"

He is grinning broadly. "Great. How about you?"

She turns with her wheelchair and is coming up to him. "Better. And how's the shoulder doing?"

He is rolling his right shoulder and turns the corners of his mouth downward. "Almost no pain anymore." He leans down and is hugging her tightly. "It's good to see you."

Jane is smiling like an idiot and nods. "Likewise. What is bringing you here? Are you the one who is going to babysit me?"

Frost chuckles amused and breaks the hug. "No, I am not babysitting you. I wanted to visit you at the rehab center, but they said that you fled yesterday. I am here to ask you if you could take a look at something."

Jane turns serious again and nods. "A case of yours?"

He is nodding as well and hands her the file. "Yes, I have been called to the crime scene last night."

"Maura haven't been called to the crime scene as well." Jane states matter-of-factly and opens the file.

"Well, operations decided not to call her because she …" He is trailing off as Jane is looking at him and arches an skeptical eyebrow. "Because she needs her sleep."

"Uh-huh." The Italian says slowly and has to hide her smirk. Then, she is furling her eyebrows. "Seriously? The victim has been killed an crossbow?"

"I know," he says nodding. "That's odd, right?"

Now, Jane's attention is roused and she wheels to the coffee table. "Absolutely. Get yourself a coffee and then we are going through this together." She says and is already engrossed in his report. "An crossbow, and I thought I have seen it all."

Frost is making his way to the coffeemaker and smirks, but then he looks dumbfounded at the machine. "Uh … Jane?"

"Yeah."

"How the hell am I supposed to get this thing started?"

Jane sputters and furrows her brows. "In one of the cabinets has to be instant." She pauses and frowns. "Unless … Maura found it and threw it away."

Frost is rolling his eyes and starts to look through the kitchen cabinets.

The Italian smirks and takes a deep breath.


	18. Note 2

**Hi,guys. I wish this would be an update of A Single Decision, but every time I start to write a new chapter, my mind suddenly becomes blank and I can't continue it. I don't know why this always happens. I had so great ideas for this story when I started to write it and I hope I'll be able to finish this one as well because I hate to leave things unfinished.**

**However, I want to thank you for all of your support, and your kind words.**

**Again, I am so so sorry.**

**T73**


End file.
